


My Nightingale

by Tobezilla



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Angst with a Happy Ending, Bucky Is a Good Bro, Coping, Depression, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Falling In Love, Family Feels, Fluff, Good Peter, Kid Peter Parker, Light Dom/sub, M/M, Parent Steve Rogers, Pepper Doesn't Get Paid Enough, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Protective Bucky Barnes, Self-Harm, Self-Hatred, Steve Rogers Feels, Steve Rogers Needs a Hug, Suicidal Thoughts, Suicide Attempt, Tony Stark Has A Heart
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-20
Updated: 2016-03-12
Packaged: 2018-05-22 00:46:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 26
Words: 57,062
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6064396
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tobezilla/pseuds/Tobezilla
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>An accident leaves Steve raising his four year old son and working two jobs. His world has been flipped around more times than he can count, each time harder than the last. When he becomes the personal assistant of the billionaire, Tony Stark - his world is flipped around for the millionth time. But maybe this time will be the different than the others.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Six months. The sound of tire screeching against the pavement had become a constant within his mind. Crimson painted his nightmares and followed him wherever he went. What had the world looked like before everything happened? He couldn’t answer that question. When Steve turned eighteen, he enrolled in the military. No one would be waiting for him at home. His father died when he was younger, he could barely remember what he looked like, and his mother had fallen victim to the vicious monster known as cancer when he was seventeen. Steve was surprised that she lasted as long as she did. But what did he expect? That was his mother, always the fighter.

He decided to change the world however he could. He was thankful to have created unbreakable bonds with the other soldiers. What he never expected was to fall in love with a fellow soldier named Margaret Carter. Of course, no one called her Margaret. Always Peggy. Despite the changes in the military, there were people that believed she could never amount to anything because she was a woman. Peggy was more than ready to prove them wrong. She fought harder than the other soldiers, including Steve, and proved every single time that she could hold her own. He wasn’t surprised when he found that he had fallen for the woman. He had a thing for stubborn, hot-headed brunettes.

His best friend was a man named James Buchanan Barnes. Once again, no one called him James. He was Bucky. He was another stubborn, hot-headed brunette. He never backed down from a fight and cursed more than anyone Steve had met. He couldn’t help but think if his mother had the chance to meet him, Bucky would have spent most of the time with soap shoved down his throat.

Steve was passionate about freedom and justice. He believed everyone should have equal rights and that no one should have the power to take choice away from anyone. He earned the nickname “Captain America” over time. No one called him by his name, he was always addressed as Captain America. Even Peggy teased him. Soldiers followed him into battle without question. No one doubted him. He would sooner sacrifice himself than make the wrong call.

During a mission, his team was ambushed. Though victory was theirs, there were casualties and injured soldiers. Including Bucky and Steve. A grenade had been thrown in their direction. Before either of them could move an inch, the explosion had thrown them back. An ear-piercing scream cut through the haze. Steve turned his head to the side, struggling to focus. There was a sea of crimson beneath Bucky. The source being his right arm. He released another agonized scream, unable to focus on anything other than the pain.

Steve made an attempt to head over towards his best friend but a sharp pain distracted him and he glanced down. His left leg was bent at an unnatural angle. When Bucky screamed once more, Steve ignored the burning pain and crawled over. Blood was everywhere. Bones were sticking out from his skin. Even without medical knowledge, Steve knew the arm couldn’t be saved. He would never walk without a limp nor would Bucky have his right arm back.

The moment Steve returned to the States, he became depressed. Doctors said it was common for soldiers to suffer with depression after coming home. Especially soldiers that had become disable due to injuries caused while on tour. Steve worked as a cashier in the local bookstore during the day and a security guard at some jewlery store in Manhattan throughout the night. Which meant he only slept two hours in total.

Each day was the same. He would spend the hours working, struggling to pay rent. There were times when he would forget to buy groceries because he was beyond exhausted and needed the extra time to rest before the next shift. The depression worsened to the point where death had become a constant thought running through his head. He imagined how simple it would be to put an end to everything. Every morning, he thought about how he could jump in front of the train. Every afternoon, he thought about how he could jump in front of a speeding car. Whenever he found the time to cook a meal, he imagined how he could cut his wrists and bleed to death. So he wasn’t surprised when he woke up in the hospital restrained to a bed.

Everything had become pointless. He had become worthless. He expected to resume stumbling through life but the second he turned his head to the side, he was confronted by an enraged Bucky. He tried to remember the last time he had seen him or the last time he had a conversation with anyone outside of work. But he came up empty. He cowered against the pillows as his best friend shouted with tears streaming down his face. Steve wondered why he would shed tears over someone like him.

Apparently Bucky could read his mind. “Damn it, Steve! I love you. You’re my best friend, my brother. We’ve been through hell and back together. How could you think for a moment that I would be okay without you?! You’re so fuckin’ selfish! Why would you ever think that…” His voice cracked and he stopped speaking.

Steve focused on the bandages around his wrists. He could feel the stitches tight against his skin. There was nothing he could say to soothe his best friend. He would never lie to him. Bucky didn’t deserve that. So silence was the best course of action. “Fuck, Stevie… What’s goin’ through your head?” Bucky choked out.

What was going through his head? He had become the one person he never wanted to be. A transparent, useless body roaming the planet without purpose. He remembered thinking about his mother before he passed out. He wanted his mother more than anything. She would know what to say. He would find the strength inside himself to overcome the obstacles he faced. But she wasn’t there.

“I don’t want to be here anymore.” He whispered.  
  
It was something he said every morning. He would be thrown from the nightmares, permanent reminders of the moment their lives changed forever, and scream into the pillow beneath his head. He wanted someone to shoot him in the head. He wanted something to happen so that he could die. There was no one waiting for him at home. That never changed. He was alone and he hated it. Now, he was alone and useless.

“Steve…” Bucky breathed. “I hate feeling useless. Every single night, I feel like I’m back there. I can hear you screaming and I’m reminded that I failed you. Every damn night. How am I supposed to continue living like this? I’m working two jobs and barely have enough time to breathe.” Then Steve thought about something. “Who found me? I was in the apartment.”

Someone cleared their throat from the doorway. “I did.” Standing there was none other than Peggy. She entered the room with a tight smile on her face. “I’m not going to pretend to understand why you made that choice. But I want you to understand that the person I’m looking at right now is not Steve Rogers. The man I followed into battle and admired was strong, courageous, relentless, stubborn and fearless. All I see is a coward.” The words cut through him like a knife.

Bucky glared holes through her head. “Are you fuckin’ kiddin’ me, Carter? The fuck is wrong with you!” He shouted.

But Peggy ignored him. “Is this who you are? A weakling that gives up without a fight. Or are you more than that? Tell me right now. Who are you?” She demanded.

Who was he? He thought about the man he was before the explosion. He never doubted what he could do. He fought against the odds and even when he failed, he never surrendered and fought harder the second time around. He wanted more than anything to become that man once more. He straightened his back. “I’m Captain America.” He said, smiling for the first time in months. His best friend and crush tackled him against the bed, holding onto him tightly.

Life was never simple. He fought every day to succeed. But he never surrendered. Within months, he had become the man he had once been. Strong and courageous. Determined to defeat the odds. The second he had become that man that Peggy admired, he gathered the courage to ask her out on a date. He had no reason to be nervous because she said yes.

For one year, the couple dated. Both of them had fallen in love with the other and knew that they wanted to spend the rest of their lives together. So Steve proposed at some Italian restaurant down the block from the apartment. Peggy accepted the proposal and the couple were married by the end of the week. There were times when money was tight and they were struggling to get by. But they stuck together.

When Steve found out he was going to be a father, it was the happiest day of his life. He spent the entire morning dancing around the bedroom with a massive smile on his face and Peggy bouncing in his arms, laughing louder than he could remember hearing. The soon-to-be parents were ecstatic about the newest addition to the family. Even Uncle Bucky! The following months taught the couple a lot about each other that they never knew. Peggy learned that Steve could make clothing, a trade his mother had taught him when he was younger, and Steve learned that Peggy could sing sweeter than a nightingale. After he discovered her sweet voice, he decided on calling her “my nightingale” as a term of endearment. For the first time, he witnessed the fierce Peggy Carter blush a deep red. The following week, he had gotten a tattoo of a nightingale on the inside of his left arm.

In what seemed like the blink of an eye, the couple were welcoming Peter Parker into the world. According to Steve, he was the spitting image of his mother. Brown curls laid against his head and baby blue eyes fought against the harsh lights. He was the most perfect thing he had ever seen. He held Peter close to his chest and hummed a lullaby his mother had sang when he was younger. Attempting to sing would scar the child. When the couple brought their beautiful baby boy to the apartment, Steve could say that it finally felt like home.

Both of them were thankful that Peter was easy-going. He only cried when he was sick and never fussed. He loved to dance around the apartment with his father and could only sleep with his mother singing softly to him. His parents were dedicated to showering him with love. They wanted him to never doubt that they loved him more than anything in the world.

Around the time Peter turned four, his world changed. He was spending time with his uncle when the telephone rang. He continued watching cartoons while Bucky went to answer the phone. The phone landed on the ground and Peter could hear the person speaking on the line but his eyes focused on the distraught man standing behind the couch. Bucky tore a jacket from the closet, dressing Peter before carrying him out the door.

He was accustomed to going places with Bucky. So he buckled himself into the car seat and settled down for the ride. But he was worried about his uncle. He could see his hands trembling as he drove down the street. Then he noticed the tears covering his face. “Uncle Bucky, why’re you cryin’?” He asked.

“‘M not cryin’, buddy. Got somethin’ in my eye.” Bucky said, his voice cracking.

Peter knew he was lying but he understood there must have been a reason. He remained silent for the remainder of the ride. He recognized the hospital from the time he had a bad fever and his parents took him to the emergency room. He stuck close to his uncle while he was carried throughout the hospital. “I’m lookin’ for Steve Rogers.” Bucky said to the receptionist. “Relation?” She asked.

Before he could answer, there was a loud shout. “I want to see my wife! Where the fuck is she?!” Peter recognized the voice immediately. His father never cursed. He thought that cursing was impolite and should never be done. Even his mother agreed.

“Crap. Pete, stay here.” Bucky said, placing Peter on the ground.

His father was being restrained by several nurses and had gotten multiple punches in before they managed to slam him against the wall. Bucky rushed over to soothe him. After five minutes, Steve managed to calm down enough for the nurses to release him. But he went from enraged to devastated. He crumpled on the ground and started sobbing. He found Peter standing beside the receptionist with tears in his eyes. He was trembling and struggling to remain calm. Steve had to be strong for his son. He stood from the ground, racing towards him. Peter choked out a sob and crashed against his father, clutching onto him.

Earlier that evening, Bucky forced the couple to head out on a date. It had been ages since they spent time together. Steve agreed one hundred percent and persuaded Peggy to head out with him. He had driven them to a restaurant and the dinner was pleasant. But on the way home, there was a drunk man driving and he crashed into them. Unfortunately, Peggy died instantly. The accident was severe and it took several minutes for help to remove either of them from the vehicle. The entire right side of the vehicle had been bent inward.

Six months. Six months since he lost the love of his life. Six months since his four year old son lost his mother. Six months without her. He spent the nights in the living room, sleeping on the couch. Laying in the bed would depress him and he feared what would happen if he ventured down that path for the second time. It was attempting to overwhelm him. But he had something he didn’t have back then. He had Peter.

Throughout the entire ordeal, Peter had been a blessing. He understood what happened and thanked the heavens that he had spent time with his mother. At least he had the chance to love her. There were people in the world that never had the chance. Of course, that didn’t mean it didn’t hurt. But it was okay. He would manage because he had his father and Uncle Bucky.

Steve spent the night watching Peter as he laid in bed. He was holding his teddy bear and breathing lightly against the stuffed animal. As he aged, he looked more and more like his mother. In the beginning, Steve thought it was more a curse than a blessing. Each time he looked at Peter, he was reminded of his dead wife. Healing wounds were torn open every time. But he scolded himself for ever thinking that. His son was beautiful because of his mother. He had the same fire in his eyes.

He sat on the bed and placed a hand on his head. Peter leaned into the touch, continuing to sleep without waking. “Sleep well, my nightingale.” He whispered softly. He hoped he could do right by him. He really did.

 


	2. Chapter 2

Steve went through a routine in the morning. He reached out and grabbed onto whatever bottle of liquor he could afford, downing as much as he could to feel the burn. Then he would move from the couch, continuing to drink from the bottle, and stumble into the bathroom. Five minutes would be spent staring at his reflection. The bruises beneath his eyes were becoming more prominent as the days passed by. He could feel exhaustion claiming him, coming close to strangle him. But he was running on autopilot. After he finished staring at himself, he turned on the shower and washed whatever he could reach. Before the explosion, he would spend the time in the shower cleaning each and every crevice. After he returned home, he could barely stand to remember what happened to his leg. So he rushed through showers and dressed faster than he could blink.

The bottle followed him throughout the morning. Until Peter needed to be woken up. He would place the bottle in the closet behind the jackets, heading to the bathroom to brush his teeth. When he laid on the twin-sized bed and rolled over onto his son, tickling him until he woke up with giggles, there was no evidence that he had been drinking other than the slight blissed-out expression he wore. But no one questioned him. Everyone assumed he was happy, not tipsy.

He laid out clothes for Peter before heading into the kitchen. He prepared cereal for the four year old, humming under his breath and dancing around. Then Bucky would enter the apartment and capture Peter as he was running towards the kitchen. Mornings were his favorite. All Steve could hear was his laughter. It was the most beautiful sound in the world. Rather than starting the morning out by heading to the park, Peter would be returning to school for the first day of kindergarten. The thought of being without his son made him anxious. He kept escaping to the bedroom for another quick drink, sloshing mouth wash around his mouth to avoid suspicion.

Peter was excited to return to school. He rambled on and on about how he was excited to see his friends and learn a bunch of things. Unlike Steve and Bucky, Peter loved to learn. Once again, he was the spitting image of his mother. No one was surprised anymore. The family made their way to the bus stop down the street with Peter seated on Steve’s shoulders. He was singing a song from some cartoon, greeting the people they passed. The neighborhood adored him. He was a social butterfly and loved to make people smile.

Waiting for the bus made Steve nauseous. He wanted to swallow the entire bottle of liquor waiting for him in the closet. “‘m goin’ to learn a lot! Maybe I’ll be smarter than Papa!” Peter chimed, laughing when Steve pinched the side of his leg in retaliation.

“‘M pretty sure you’re already smarter than ‘im.” Bucky said.

Steve jumped around as best he could, feeling Peter bounce on his shoulders and holding onto his hair. “My baby boy is going to be the smartest man in the world! Like Albert Einstein. He’s already the smartest _boy_.” He said to Bucky, grinning at the sound of Peter squealing.

“Albert Einstein? Papa, no one’s smarter than Albert Einstein!” The four year old whined. He ran his fingers through the blonde hair underneath his hands and smiled down at his father. He loved to spend time with him. There were mornings when Bucky would have to watch him because his father was working or had gotten home from work late.

The sound of the approaching bus captured their attention. Steve lowered his son onto the ground and crouched down to make eye contact with him. “Sweetheart, I need you to be careful. Watch where you’re going and if anything happens, I need you to call me. You have the cellphone, right?” He asked.

Peter nodded. “Phone’s in my bag!” He answered.

“Alright, honey. What’re the rules?” Steve questioned, his heart racing within his chest.

Peter inhaled deeply. “Never speak to strangers. Don’t accept food from others. Only leave the classroom to use the bathroom. Pay attention to the teacher. Don’t go anywhere with strangers. Stay in the school. Make sure to eat all of my lunch. Use the phone in emergency situations only. Call Papa as soon as I get home!” He recited.

Steve caressed his cheeks and exhaled shakily. He was beyond worried. The last time a loved one had gotten into a car, she never came home. Vehicles frightened him but there was no way he could take Peter to school and get to work on time. Money was scarce and he needed to support them both. He kissed his forehead, embracing him.

“‘m gonna be okay, Papa.” Peter whispered.

He held onto him for another minute before Bucky patted his back. “Gotta let ‘im on the bus, Stevie.” He said.

Steve released his son and nudged him forward. “I love you, Peter. Be careful, okay?” He said, attempting to hold back the tears that threatened to spill.

“I love you, too, Papa! I’ll be okay.” The moment Peter turned around, Steve rethought everything and made an attempt to reach out to him. But Bucky was there to hold him back. The best friends stood there and watched the boy board the bus, waving goodbye as it drove away.

Tears blinded him. “Fuck.” He choked out.

A million worries raced through his mind. Would Peter be alright? Would there be another accident? Would he receive a phone call while he was at work that he had lost his son and was alone? He crumpled onto the ground, attempting to capture his breath. Bucky understood the fears that haunted him. He was suffering from the loss of Peggy, the love of his life. Peter was all he had left. He helped Steve back to the apartment, letting the man collapse on the couch as he wandered into the kitchen to prepare some tea. He was worried about him. Grieving was something people needed to do after losing a loved on. Then there was Steve. He wasn’t coping.

He entered the living room and discovered Steve rummaging through the closet. He leaned against the wall, watching as Steve found whatever he was looking for. His shoulders slumped forward. Steve was downing the contents of the bottle without remorse. He tore the bottle from his mouth to inhale oxygen greedily, coughing before laying on the ground.

“Stevie, ‘m worried about you.” Bucky said.

The blonde shook his head against the wall. He brought the bottle closer and drank whatever was left inside. He remembered hating the taste of alcohol when he was younger and his mother let him have a sip of wine during dinner. The taste remained the same, bitter on his tongue, but the reason he was drinking had changed. Back then, he drank because he wanted to see what it tasted like. Now, he wanted to feel something other than sorrow and fear.

He tossed the bottle into the closet, hearing the other empty bottles clink. “‘M okay.” He slurred, attempting to stand.

He figured he would never manage to stand so he crawled towards the couch. He laid against the cushions. “Seven o’clock in the morning and you’re drinkin’. Yeah, Stevie. I believe you.” Bucky droned.

He returned to the kitchen where he found a water bottle in the fridge. He tossed the bottle onto the couch, hearing Steve grunt upon impact. “Drink some. You need to get to work in an hour. ’M not takin’ you if you’re piss drunk.” He said.

Steve listened to him. He opened the water bottle and started drinking, blinking several times to clear his vision. He could feel the water washing away the thick taste of liquor and grumbled. He listened to Bucky moving around the kitchen. He didn’t deserve to have a broken man as a best friend. Peter didn’t deserve to have a coward as a father. He could hear Peggy loud and clear, scolding him about how he was acting.

Steve thought about everything that had happened since he joined the military. He had fallen in love, found his brother, gotten married, became a father and then became a widower. He ran a shaking hand through his hair, inhaling deeply. He should have been the one that night. Peggy would have known what to do. She would have never made the decision to drink herself stupid. She would have never thought about putting an end to her life. But that was Peggy. Independent and determined Peggy. A familiar ache rose in his chest. Thinking about that sobered him instantly.

“Stop.” Bucky was sitting on the coffee table in front of him. “Stop thinkin’, Stevie. That’s your problem. You think too much.” He said softly.

He leaned forward, placing his forehead against Bucky’s shoulder. “I should’ve been the one that night, Buck. I’m going to screw up. Every time I think about her, I need to have a drink. The burn makes me forget. Even if it’s for a second. I can’t… remembering her hurts…” He confessed, his vision blurring with tears.

“Everythin’ happens for a reason. I know that’s not what you wanna hear but it’s the truth. For some reason, you’re the one that made it out alive. No point in wishin’ you could’ve been the one on the other end. You’re right here. You’re the one that needs to raise Peter and show ‘im what it means to be a real man. I know you can do it, Stevie. You’ve done it before. You can do it again.” Bucky said, patting his back.

The best friends leaned on each other for a while. Both of them thinking about what could have been. The present was something they would have to cope with and learn to accept. Nothing about their lives had been simple. It seemed like the universe wanted them to break. But neither of them were going to surrender. As relieving as the end would be, neither of them were prepared to give up. Not without a fight.

A while later, Steve was standing behind the counter in the bookstore when his phone started vibrating against his side. He glanced down to find a picture of Peter flashing across the screen. He waved the phone around at his boss, a sweet older woman named Helen Daily, and she nodded with a warm smile. “Make sure to tell Peter I said hello.” She said.

Steve returned the smile. “Of course, Helen.” He said, sliding the accept button to the right.

“ _‘M home, Papa! Uncle Bucky and I are goin’ to get ice cream. A special treat ‘cause the teacher said ‘m a really good speller. I got a sticker and everythin’!_ ” Peter sounded like he was bouncing around the living room. He could hear Bucky speaking in the background. “I bet everyone was jealous!” Steve said.

Peter started laughing. “ _‘Course they were, Papa! But it’s okay because everyone’s different. If everyone were the same, it’d be borin’! That’s what Momma used to say._ ” He exclaimed, his tone softening when he mentioned his mother.

Out of everyone, Peter must have missed his mother the most. He spent the afternoons and evenings with Peggy while Steve worked the graveyard shift. No one doubted that he was her prince. Steve leaned against the counter with a fond smile. “Momma’s right, buddy. Life would be boring if everyone were the same.” He agreed.

There was silence over the line for several seconds. “ _Do you think Momma’s happy?_ ” Peter asked.

The question caught him by surprise. Since the accident, Peter refrained from mentioning his mother. He understood how much his father missed his mother and mentioning her would only make him sad. But he wanted to know what his father thought. He spent a lot of time thinking about it.

Steve rubbed his eyes. He could feel the tears coming. “I-I think so. I want to believe she is, Peter.” He answered.

Around eight o’clock, Steve entered the apartment. Bucky was seated on the living room couch with a magazine, flipping through the pages without interest. He turned his head when he heard the front door open and smiled. “Welcome home, punk.” He greeted.

"Thanks." Steve peeked inside Peter's room on the way to the couch. He caught the brown curls peeking out from underneath the blanket, the stuffed animal beside the lump under the covers. He stumbled towards the couch and collapsed on top of Bucky, groaning when he felt the warmth of the body and cushions beneath him.

“I’ve been thinkin’ since you went to work.” Bucky said, “I think that you need to spend more time with Pete. ‘M thinkin’ you need to find a job that has flexible hours. Somethin’ that’s not overbearing or too exhausting.”

He received a snort in response. Steve had spent weeks searching for work that would give him more time with Peter. But nothing paid enough to support them both. There was no point in leaving either of his jobs to only struggle even more than he already was. “I’ve been seein' this lady named Darcy.” The mention of a woman caught Steve’s attention and he shot upwards, anxious to hear about the lucky lady.

Since the explosion, Bucky had never been comfortable enough to date. Men and women were disturbed by the veteran without an arm. On top of that, the nightmares he suffered from were dangerous enough that he feared sleeping next to someone at night. But Steve noticed that over the last couple of months, Bucky seemed more rested than he had in the past. He assumed the nightmares were either lessening or he had found some way to cope with them. He never thought there had been a woman involved.

“Quit lookin’ at me like that. I’ll tell you about her in a second! But Darcy told me that Tony Stark’s lookin’ for a new personal assistant. I’m thinkin’ that you could have a shot at the job. Sure, you don’t have any fancy degree or nothin’ but you’re a veteran that led dozens of soldiers. Fuckin’ Captain America can do the damn job better than anyone!” Bucky said.

Steve leaned back against the couch. Personal assistant to Tony Stark? He heard about the billionaire. People said he was nothing but an alcoholic playboy that had no idea how to treat other human beings. He used people to his advantage and only wanted whatever would make him money. Why would he work for someone like him? His current personal assistant was Pepper Potts, a woman to be feared in the world of business. No one ever crossed her. Not even Tony Stark could face her wrath. What made her intimidating was that she could destroy your entire life and then ask if you would like a complementary fruit basket on your way out. 

"I thought Pepper Potts was supposed to be the best in the business. Why would Tony Stark be looking for a new personal assistant? She's been handling him for years, doing what I'm pretty sure no other human being is capable of doing." Steve applauded the woman. She was a true warrior for being able to handle Tony Stark for as long as she has.

“She got knocked up. But listen, you’ve got the borin’ shit like healthcare and dental care. Blah! You’ve only got to schedule meetings for the guy. Maybe even go with ‘im and make sure he doesn’t blow his head off or drink himself into a coma. Think about the time you’d have with Peter. Darcy says the current one gets to go home at _five_. Meanin’ you can actually be around for dinner! I can watch the tyke if there's some meetin' in another country and maybe you can take 'im sometimes. Pete can entertain himself! Plus, he can be all cultured and whatnot by travelin’. Also, the pay’s amazin’. I would apply but I don’t have patience to deal with myself let alone someone else. I can only deal with one particular little person and that’s only because he’s cute. Come on, Stevie. Give it a shot! What do you say?” Bucky was really pushing for him to give the job a chance.

The thought of coming home and having dinner with his family made him smile. It had been ages since he had the chance to eat an actual meal with them. He was positive that Peter would love to have his father around more often. It may not be guaranteed that he would get the job but he might as well make an attempt. It would be a dream come true.

“Alright! Cool your jets, jerk. I’ll apply.” He said.

Bucky nearly shouted in excitement but remembered that Peter had fallen asleep half an hour earlier. He punched Steve in the shoulder. "You're not goin' to regret this!" He said excitedly.

Steve smirked. "Yeah, maybe. Now, who exactly is this Darcy?" He questioned.

The only sounds that could be heard from the apartment were Bucky's groans and Steve's uncontrollable laughter.


	3. Chapter 3

The following morning, Steve received a phone call from Stark Industries. Within minutes, he secured an interview for one o’clock in the afternoon. He watched the phone for several moments. He wondered how they had gotten his number but his question was answered when Bucky entered the apartment with a smirk on his face. “I heard from a little birdie that you got an interview later.” He said, the smirk turning into a grin.

“How could you possibly know that already? I just hung up.” Steve asked.

The brunette moved through the living room, hopping into the kitchen to grab a water bottle from the fridge. “I told you! A little birdie told me.” He repeated. But Steve knew it must have been his new girlfriend or whatever she was. Maybe she was the one he was speaking to on the phone. She sounded like an older woman. Bucky had never been into older woman. He liked them young and feisty.

Before he could continue questioning his best friend, the familiar sound of socks shuffling against the wooden floorboards captured his attention. He turned around and found Peter rubbing his eyes, yawning as he stumbled towards his father. “Mornin’, Papa…” He mumbled, lifting his arms to be picked up.

Steve accepted his request and held his son. “Morning, Pete. How’d you sleep?” He asked.

Peter shrugged his shoulders. He was never responsive when he was fresh out of bed. After he had breakfast and brushed his teeth, he would be the bouncing baby boy the men adored. But Steve had to admit that he had a soft spot for sleepy Peter. He tended to hold onto his father, cuddling close while Steve moved around the kitchen making him breakfast.

“Mornin’, buddy!” Bucky exclaimed.

The four year old grumbled in return, holding onto his father tighter. Steve smiled fondly at the brown curls beneath his chin. He gathered the necessary ingredients for cereal, nudging the bowl across the counter. He managed to pour the milk and cereal into the bowl without making a massive mess. Peter pointed to the cabinet in front of them. He wanted some sugar on top.

Steve chuckled. Peter had a serious sweet tooth. Most of the time, Steve would keep the sugar hidden from his son. Sugar was a menace to children. But for once, he decided that he would indulge the boy. He might have another job by the end of the week and he wanted Peter to be happy. Good things happened whenever Peter smiled. He was Steve’s good luck charm.

He placed Peter down at the table. Almost immediately, Peter attacked the bowl of cereal and started humming in satisfaction under his breath. Steve leaned against the counter next to Bucky, watching his son eat. “I don’t know what to wear.” He said softly.

“Suit and tie. Come on, you’ve been dressin’ yourself for years.” Bucky teased.

Steve smiled at him. “Jerk. Is my suit good enough for…” He waved his hands around, “Stark Industries?”

He should have thought about what he would wear. Everything was happening faster than he could think. But he needed to make a change. Drinking everyday and spending time away from his son was not what he wanted to do anymore. He never wanted to be away from his son. It was that he needed to work at the bookstore and jewelry store every single day. He hadn’t realized how badly he needed the job.

“Everythin’’ll be fine. Quit stressin’ about it. I showed Darcy your threads-“ Steve gaped at his bestfriend, “and she said you’d be fine. Apparently, that Potts lady’s goin’ to interview you. Somethin’ about needin’ to know who was goin’ to take her place and whatnot.”

He stopped questioning his best friend. He was the sneakiest man he had met, a talent/skill that had come in use more than once during their military days. He should have known that he would continue sneaking around even without the uniform. Steve ran a hand over his face, exhaling heavily. “I should iron the suit. I haven’t taken it out since Peter was baptized.” He said.

Bucky slapped a hand against his back. “No need! I already handled that. It’s hangin’ in the closet.” He escaped into the living room before Steve could smack him upside the head, taking Peter with him. He heard both of them laughing their way towards Peter’s bedroom to prepare him for school.

Steve wandered to the closet and stared at the door for a couple minutes. He was nervous about looking at the suit. Not because he feared what Bucky had done to it, Bucky would never sabotage his chances at having a better life for not only him but his son, but because he feared what he would feel. Peggy loved when he wore the suit. She had demanded that he head out to Manhattan and buy the nicest suit there. Of course, he had a budget but the suit was the nicest he could buy. Peggy had fallen in love with him in a suit.

He opened the door slowly. Someone would think he was about to unleash an uncontrollable beast from its cage. He supposed he was in a sense. A wave of nausea came over him. The suit was hanging there, looking as nice as it did the day he bought it. He reached out to run his fingers along the arms. _Ever heard the saying that a well tailored suit is to women what lingerie is to men?_ She had whispered into his ear. He had never heard the saying before but she made sure to prove the statement to him repeatedly throughout the night.

The sound of Peter racing towards the living room caused him to slam the door shut. He leaned his forehead against the door, breathing deeply to collect his thoughts. She would have loved to see him wearing the suit again. There was no point in avoiding that. He should wear the suit to have her with him in some way. With Peter and Peggy on his side, he would definitely have a chance at getting the job.

He straightened his back. “Papa! Time to head to the bus stop.” Peter called out.

Bucky caught his eye as he approached his son. He could see the emotions clouding his eyes and he understood where his mind was. “Everythin’ good?” He asked, glancing at the closet.

Steve nodded, lifting Peter over his head and onto his shoulders. “Yeah, I think I’m going to look swell.” He answered.

A couple of hours later, Steve was standing outside the Stark Industries building in Manhattan with a folder against his chest. He could hear his blood rushing through his veins and could feel the sweat gathering on his palms. The men and women entering the building were dressed like professional business men and women. He glanced down at the suit, feeling self-conscious. He looked like a poor man trying to play a rich man’s game.

He thought about running back to the train. But he thought about Peter, how much he deserved to have a better life. He wanted to be able to treat him like a prince during the holidays and take him wherever his heart desired on his birthday. He wanted to be able to buy him more than one present that costed no more than seven dollars. Peter never complained. He knew that his father tried his best. But he was a kid. He wanted what the other kids had.

Steve squared his shoulders and entered the building before he could talk himself out of it. Almost instantly, people were zeroing in on the random man walking through the glass doors. There was a sudden change in temperature and he could feel a cool breeze brush against his cheeks. “May I help you?” A woman seemingly materialized out of nowhere beside him.

He jumped. “Oh! Hello, my name is Steve Rogers. I have an appointment with Pepper Potts, I believe.” He said, a light blush staining his cheeks.

The woman looked him up and down, making Steve tremble under her intense stare. She wore a white button-up with a black pencil skirt. The shirt had the Stark Industries emblem over the left breast pocket. The heels she wore frightened Steve. How women could stand to wear heels like that continued to amaze him.

“I’m not sure who told you that but Miss Potts does not have appointments with…” She gestured to him.

Color drained from his face. She thought he was beneath her. A sudden rage spread throughout his chest and he narrowed his eyes at her. “With people like me, you mean.” He said, his voice tight.

Before the conversation could progress, a manicured hand landed on his shoulder. “Steve! I’ve been looking everywhere for you.” A smiling brunette was standing beside him and he wondered if being able to materialize out of thin air was a requirement for working in Stark Industries.

“Go charge your batteries, Miss Robot. I’m going to handle Mr. Hunk.” She said.

The woman released what sounded like a hiss as the pair walked away. He allowed himself to be steered into the elevator. “Miss Potts is waiting for you in her office. You don’t have to be nervous. She’s the sweetest thing in the world.” The brunette said, patting his shoulder.

“Have we met?” Steve asked.

The woman smirked. “No but I happen to know a certain Bucky.” Her eyes were shining with mirth.

He started chuckling. Of course she would be the one. “Darcy, right?” He said, extending his hand. “You already know but I’m Steve. It’s an honor to finally meet the woman that tamed the wild beast.”

A melodic laugh slipped past her painted lips. “I’m not sure about tamed but I’ll take what I can get! Yes, I’m Darcy. It’s nice to meet the man that managed to handle said wild beast for so long.” She giggled.

Being around Darcy made him forget about the nerves. He understood why Bucky had grown attached to her. She radiated warmth and she seemed to have an amazing sense of humor. He sensed that she might be more mischievous than Bucky. There was something about the way her blue eyes shined that made him question how sane she was. A soft ding alerted them to their arrival at their destination.

She yanked him out of the elevator, dragging him past a receptionist and down a narrow hallway. “Miss Potts may seem super serious at first but that’s only because she needs to make sure you’re serious about the job. The last couple of people were only applying to get close to Mr. Stark. Another one tried to sneak onto his floor. I’m sure you know that the penthouse’s his domain. Of course, no one can get up there since JARVIS runs everything.” She rambled.

“JARVIS?” He muttered.

At the end of the hallway, they came to a pause before an opaque door. He could see a shadow on the other side and assumed that was Miss Potts. “Here we are. Good luck, Steve! I’m sure you’ll do great.” Darcy said, opening the door and shoving him inside.

The door slammed behind him. Miss Potts was seated behind a massive desk, observing Steve from across the room. She gestured to the seat in front of the desk and he made his way to the seat. “Good afternoon, Miss Potts. My name is Steve Rogers. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” He said politely and sat down.

Silence swept over them. He observed the woman seated behind the desk. Genuine concern clouded her blue eyes. According to the world, Pepper and Tony were like siblings. Having to step aside due to a sudden pregnancy must have stressed her out. A smile spread across his face. One of understanding.

“You’re worried about him.” He stated.

Shock registered on her face. “Excuse me?” She asked.

“Mr. Stark. You’re worried about how he’ll do without you.” He explained.

Miss Potts was silent for several moments. Then a welcoming smile illuminated her features. Steve thought she was gorgeous. “How observant. Yes, I am worried about him. I need to make sure the person I choose to take over my job can handle not only the responsibilities that come along with being a personal assistant but what it means to be the personal assistant of Tony Stark. Nothing about the job is simple. There will be times he will push your buttons, testing how far he can go before you snap. There will be times he completely ditches an important meeting and you will have to manage without him. There will be times when you might have to babysit him. He can be like an overgrown child at times.” She said, “But he is the sweetest and most generous man I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. Not everything the media says is true. Granted, some things are. He has a tendency to drink too much and he certainly lives up to the playboy title. But don’t let the opinions of others color your opinion of him.”

“You’re giving an awful lot of information to someone you may not even hire.” Steve noted.

Miss Potts leaned forward and propped her head up on two hands. “No, I’m giving an awful lot of information to someone I hired.” She retorted.

His eyes widened. “But what about the interview?” He choked out.

“I have interviewed dozens of men and women. Each of them were qualified to handle the business side of things. But anyone can schedule meetings and answer the phone a million times. But not everyone can handle Tony Stark.” She said.

Steve leaned forward to look at her. His eyebrows furrowed in confusion. “I’ve never met the guy.” He said.

“I have done quite a lot of research on you, Captain Rogers. I have heard nothing but excellent things about you from people you served with. He needs someone that is observant, a person that is determined to get the job done. He needs someone that cares enough about what he’s doing. I heard from Darcy that you have a son and recently lost your wife. I’m sorry for your loss.” She said, her voice softening when she mentioned Peggy.

“Something about you makes me believe you can do this. You might even be better at taming him than I am. But to be fair, I only keep him distracted with enough work that he doesn’t have the chance to run wild.” She said, chuckling softly.

Both of them stood. She extended her hand to shake his hand. “Welcome to Stark Industries, Steve. You start working tomorrow and will report here. This will be your office from now on. I-“ Before she could finish the welcome, the office door opened to reveal a disheveled man.

He entered the room with his hands flying around. “Pepper! Pep. Pepperoni. I need your phone.” He said, shoving his hands into her pockets without asking permission.

But he was pushed backwards by the red-headed woman. “I remember asking you to look presentable. Anyways, I would like you to meet Steve Rogers. He is going to be working with you. Keyword here is _with_.” She said, gesturing to Steve.

The man walked around Steve, looking at him from every possible angle. Something about him was familiar. The way he moved, the sound of his voice. He would have tried to place the face but said face was covered with grease from working with some machinery. He assumed he was a handyman of sorts. No one covered with grease would be working in the public eye. Especially not for somewhere as elite as Stark Industries. When he came to a halt in front of him, Steve had the chance to truly look at him. Through the unkempt brown locks and grease stains covering whatever skin could be seen, Steve recognized the chocolate brown eyes staring at him. He would have extended his hand but the man’s hands were black from working. So he smiled the warmest he could and nodded in greeting.

“It’s a pleasure to finally meet you, Mr. Stark.”


	4. Chapter 4

“Mr. Stark was my father. Call me Tony. But I must say, Steve Rogers… Darcy was right about the Mr. Hunk bit.” Was the first thing Tony Stark said to him. Steve stood there for a moment, processing what the billionaire had said, then his face turned a crimson red. He laughed nervously at the thought that he was flirting with him. “I suppose I’m average.” He said, brushing aside the compliment.

Both Tony and Miss Potts turned to look at him as though he had lost his mind. He blushed a deeper shade of red. “How far down does your blush go?” Tony wondered, reaching out to yank on his tie.

He grumbled when his hand was smacked down by Miss Potts. “You are not allowed to break the rule.” She scolded.

Steve cocked his head to the side. “What rule?” He questioned, running through whatever information he had been given and whatever he gathered from the media. But there was nothing that stood out to him.

“I’m not allowed to sleep with _important people_. You are _under_ that category.” Tony explained, his eyebrows dancing around.

Steve thought his face would burn off. He shook his head furiously. “I-I’m not… I don’t… I’m straight.” He choked out. Just thinking about being with another man made him uncomfortable. Not that he had anything against homosexuals. No, some of the men he served with had boyfriends waiting for them at home. All of them were good men. It was just not what he preferred.

“I like him.” Tony hummed, chuckling at how flustered he made Steve.

Miss Potts smacked him upside the head. “Stop teasing him. Don’t pay attention to him, Steve. I figured you were straight when I found out about your wife and son.” She said, smiling warmly at him.

The brunette released a loud groan. “I would ask if you were _at least_ bisexual but even I’m not the kind of guy to sleep with a married man.” Tony sighed.

Steve lowered his head and smiled at the ground. It was nice to know that even Tony Stark had standards. He played with the bottom of his jacket. “I’m not married. My wife has been dead for six months. But that doesn’t change the fact that I am straight and would appreciate it if you would respect that.” He said, lifting his head to place his eyes on the man before him. He needed to be firm with him.

The men stared at each other for what seemed like a decade. Neither of them moved and communicated through their eyes. Steve wanted him to know that he was there to be his personal assistant and that was how far their relationship would go. Sure, they could eventually be friends but they would never sleep together. Even if he were bisexual, he wouldn’t be ready to sleep with anyone. He was still mourning over the loss of his wife. Sleeping with someone else while that wound was still healing would be betraying not only Peggy but himself.

“Alright.” Tony conceded and turned to face Miss Potts, “I need your phone. I want to update the software.” He said.

Miss Potts watched him for a moment before handing over her phone. He vanished out the door without another word. “I have never seen him do that before.” She breathed, placing a hand under her chin.

“Do what?” Steve focused his attention on the folder he had been holding since he left the apartment. The edges were bent out of shape from him holding too tight. “Give up.” She answered, turning around to grab her purse from the desk.

That had been strange. He expected the playboy to push until Steve either surrendered or punched him in the face. But instead, he accepted defeat. Steve smiled to himself as he thought about Tony. Already he was proving him wrong. Working with him should be entertaining. He lifted his head to find Miss Potts staring at him with a thoughtful expression.

“If you happen to fall for him,” Steve gaped at her, “I wouldn’t blame you. The real Tony is quite charming. Falling for him may be impossible.” She said.

Steve raised an eyebrow. “Then why haven’t you fallen for him?” He asked.

He received an enthusiastic laugh in response. “Oh, Steve! I have been down that road before. But loving someone like Tony can be exhausting. Not because he is difficult to deal with. When you get past the hours he spends in the workshop without food or sleep, there’s nothing that makes him complicated. It’s the fact that he has never been shown affection before. He doesn’t know what to do with that so he runs in the opposite direction. Chasing him gets tiring after a while. Plus, I happen to enjoy him more as a friend. I wasn’t meant to love him like that. Who knows! Maybe you were.” She watched him with fondness shining in her eyes.

Steve scratched the back of his head. “I _am_ straight, Miss Potts. I have nothing against homosexual men or women but it’s not something I want for myself.” He said.

“Call me Pepper and I’m not pushing you towards anything. I’m just saying that if it were to happen, I don’t blame you.” She gestured towards the door, “How about I walk you downstairs?”

When they reached the bottom floor, Pepper repeated the welcome and said that returning the following day would not be as complicated as it had been earlier. As she said that, her eyes narrowed on the young woman that insulted him before Darcy found him. He parted ways with Pepper and headed towards the train station. The entire afternoon had been unreal. He had become the personal assistant of Tony Stark. He was quiet the entire way home. But the second he entered the apartment, he started to cheer and dance around.

Peter was seated on the couch, watching cartoons with an apple slice hanging from his mouth. He was observing his father, wondering why he was happy, but he pushed those questions from his mind. It was rare for his father to act like that. The last time he had seen him that happy was when his mother was still alive. His thoughts were cut short the moment he registed himself being picked up. Steve danced around the living room with him, listening to his melodic giggles paint the air.

Bucky emerged from the kitchen with a smile. “I told you, punk. Congratulations! We’re goin’ to have so much fun from now on. You’ll get to buy me stuff and take me out on classy dates because I’m the finest dame on this side of Brooklyn-“ His teasing was cut short. Steve threw an arm around him and held him close, unable to fight back the tears that had been threatening to spill over. “Thank you so much, Buck. Thank you for being here with us. Not only have you helped me but you’ve helped Peter and I don’t think I can thank you enough.” He said softly.

“Thank you, Uncle Bucky.” Peter added, reaching out to give him a kiss on the cheek.

Before the military, neither Steve nor Bucky had surviving family. Joining the military had been a decision both of them made since there would be no one waiting for them at home. If there was no one waiting for them, no one would miss them if they died. Serving the country seemed like the best option. Neither of them expected to leave having more than they did going in. For the first time in what seemed like forever, there was someone waiting for them. To think everything started because of a shared smile between fellow soldiers. The moment Bucky made the decision to tackle Steve while laughing loud enough to scare the birds, both of them realized that they had to fight harder than before. Because if one of them died, the other would be missing them.

Losing an arm seemed like a small price to pay for what he had now, Bucky thought. There were two people waiting for him to come home every time he went out. People that not only needed him but wanted him around. He could barely remember when he had someone before Steve. Even after being sent home, Steve remained a constant presence in his life. Whether the friends saw each other or not, they were always thinking about each other. The overwhelming sense of loneliness had transformed into the concrete presence of family.

“Family helps each other out. No big deal.” Bucky mumbled, blushing red.

Deciding that he had embarrassed Bucky enough, Steve tossed Peter onto the couch. The four year old bounced on the cushions, his face flushed from the amount of laughter spilling past his lips. “We are going to watch a million movies and eat tons of popcorn. We are even going to have some…” Steve reached into the closet and revealed cans of cream soda, “cream soda!” Peter raised his hands over his head with a massive smile on his face.

All of them settled down to watch movies. Around eight o’clock, Peter had fallen asleep with an arm slung over his father’s stomach. His face was pressed against his side. He was breathing lightly and smelled like buttered popcorn. Even Bucky had fallen asleep, head thrown back against the couch and his mouth wide open. Steve watched them for several minutes, the lights from the movie casting shadows on their faces. A fond smile spread across his face.

He thought about what he would buy them. The second he had enough money, he wanted to buy them presents that meant something. He should speak with Darcy, see what she had in mind for Bucky. But when he looked at Peter, he already had an idea on what he wanted to get him. His eyes fluttered shut. He tightened his hold on Peter, falling asleep.

The following morning, Steve was woken by something being thrown against his chest. He jumped into action with his hands raised, prepared to fight. But the object that had been thrown at him was nothing dangerous. In fact, the object was the exact opposite. He was looking down at an expensive suit that could have paid several months rent. He raised his head to find Bucky leaning against the closet door, jerking his thumb to the ten other suits hanging beside him.

“Where did they come from?” Steve winced when he heard his voice. He sounded like he swallowed a bunch of thumbtacks. “Might be here.” Bucky tossed a folded card over to him. “Sweet baby Jesus, you’re goin’ to be the coolest cat Stark Industries has ever seen.” He drawled.

Steve opened the card. _I look forward to getting to know you, Mr. Hunk. I have a thing for blondes and men in suits. Care to guess on what that makes you? ~ Tony_

He was blushing by the time he finished reading the message. Pepper had sounded genuinely surprised when Tony turned around and left without pushing him further. But he probably decided that luring Steve into his trap would take more than a couple of empty compliments. Steve released a loud groan, leaning back onto the couch. “How am I going to survive?” He asked.

Bucky snatched the card from his hand and read the message. It didn’t take long for him to start laughing, bending over and laughing some more. “No one can resist Captain America.” He wheezed, thrown into another round of hysterics when Steve kicked him in the knee.

“Whoa.” Peter was staring at the suits with wide eyes. He raced over to where the majority of them were hanging, peeking through them to examine each and every one. He was mesmerized. “Are we rich, Papa?” He breathed.

Steve stood from the couch and picked Peter up. “No, someone from work gave these to me. But I’m going to give them back.” He said.

“What? Stevie, there’s no way you can give these back!” Bucky argued.

Steve shook his head. “One of these suits is expensive. I don’t even want to know how much money he paid for everything in total. I’m going to take them with me to work and give them back. I’m not accepting gifts. Especially from people I don’t know.” He said, his tone ending the discussion.

Once he watched Peter leave for school, he dressed for work and headed out the door with the suits. He ignored the curious looks he received from others as he passed them on the street. He entered Stark Industries with his back straight. The woman from yesterday was nowhere to be seen. Instead, a vibrant young man was standing behind the desk with a glowing smile on his face. His blonde hair was neatly combed back and his green eyes were shining through the glasses he wore.

“Welcome to Stark Industries. My name is Gregory Waters. How may I help you?” He greeted.

Steve breathed out a sigh of relief. “I’m Steve Rogers, Mr. Stark’s personal assistant.” He said.

Gregory nodded. He handed a card over to Steve. “This card is going to act as your identification and access key. As Mr. Stark’s personal assistant, you will have access to areas otherwise blocked to the public. That would include his penthouse and workshop. Unlike the other employees, you will be using the private elevator located behind me.” He gestured to the silver door behind him, “You will receive more information once you have entered your office. Would you like me to deliver those for you?” Gregory looked at the pile of suits Steve was holding.

“I am going to deliver these myself. But thank you so much, Gregory. I hope you have a good day.” Steve said.

Gregory smiled. “You’re welcome, Mr. Rogers. I welcome you to Stark Industries.” He said.

The blonde turned around to resume whatever he had been doing on the computer before Steve entered the building. Steve was smiling as he slid his card into the slot beside the silver door. Pepper was right when she said things would be easier. A green light flashed and the door opened. He entered the elevator, pressing the button for his floor.

He listened to the music playing softly. His mind clearing as the elevator continued moving upwards. He wondered how he would do as a personal assistant. He had been good at leading men during his military days but would that help him in Stark Industries? A light ding sounded. He exited the elevator, moving past the receptionist with a kind smile. Something about the office made him comfortable. He entered the spacious room with a look of wonder on his face. He had never been someone that worked from an office before. It made him feel important.

“ _Welcome to Stark Industries, Mr. Rogers._ ” A British voice filled the office. Steve turned around and discovered that there was no one with him in the room. A shiver ran down his spine. Could the office be haunted? “ _I do apologize. My name is JARVIS, I am an artificial intelligence created by Tony Stark. I ensure that the tower functions within the proper perimeters. I am accessible to you for whatever questions you may have to which I will answer to the best of my abilities._ ” The voice explained.

Darcy mentioned JARVIS the day before. He looked towards the ceiling. “It’s nice to meet you, JARVIS. Please, call me Steve. I have a feeling we are going to be working together quite often.” He said.

“ _As you wish, Steve. Sir has provided a tablet. It is located on the desk. I have uploaded various documents and contacts along with a calendar. Important events are marked under the color red, events of relative importance are marked under the color green and events of little or no importance are marked under the color blue._ ” JARVIS explained, waiting to speak further.

Steve placed the suits on the chair and grabbed the tablet. He went through the calendar, recognizing the three colors almost immediately. “ _Sir does have a video conference at twelve o’clock in the afternoon. For the rest of the day, Sir does not have anything planned. At the moment, Sir has been working in the workshop for nineteen and a half hours._ ” Pepper wasn’t kidding about his sleeping habits.

“Would it be alright if I went to the workshop, JARVIS?” He asked.

“ _Certainly, Steve. I believe it would be in Sir’s best interest if you would. Once you board the elevator, I will take you to the workshop._ ” JARVIS replied.

Steve nodded. He gathered the suits, being careful to not the wrinkle them, and made his way towards the private elevator. He greeted the employees he passed with a warm smile. The people around him were pleasant to interact with. He figured that the young woman from the previous day had been a bad apple that slipped through the cracks. A moment later, he was standing in the elevator and waiting to reach the workshop.

Going from the office to the workshop did not take long. He was entering the mechanical heaven within minutes. He glanced around the massive space. There were inventions covering the surfaces, various tools and equipment surrounding him. He never thought machines could be beautiful but he was standing among them breathless. Something about them seemed almost real. Like he wasn’t looking at machines but artwork that had come to life.

A flashing light alerted him to where the genius had spent the last nineteen hours. He was hunched over a bench, elbow-deep in some machine. A screwdriver hung from his mouth as he worked. He was mumbling something about dimensions. Steve moved around the bench to stand before him. “Tony.” He called out.

He continued working. “ _I am afraid Sir may not have heard you. He becomes enthralled with projects to the point where he blocks the world out._ ” JARVIS said.

Steve placed the suits aside. He reached out and took the screwdriver from his mouth, tossing it aside. Then he reached into the machine and grabbed his wrists, pulling his hands out from the machine. Tony blinked several times, attempting to focus on him. “Why’re you doing that?” He asked, his voice hoarse.

“Because you have a video conference in four hours and you haven’t slept in over nineteen hours. You are covered in grease and are in need of an immediate shower. Also, I am going to make you something to eat. If you behave, I may even let you sleep until the video conference.” Steve said.

He manhandled Tony towards the elevator. He could sense that the man would have fought against him more if he had not been exhausted. Steve grabbed the suits on the way towards the elevator and nudged Tony inside. “JARVIS, could you please take us to the penthouse?” He asked politely.

“ _Certainly, Steve._ ” The AI responded.

Steve turned to speak with Tony and found that the brunette was staring at the suits. “Most people wear suits. I don’t think I know anyone that carries them around.” Tony said flatly.

“Most people don’t buy suits that cost more than a year’s rent.” Steve countered.

Tony rolled his eyes. “What? Did you expect me to let you work here wearing that hideous thing you call a suit?” He spat.

Steve froze. Sure, he knew that the suit wasn’t the fanciest thing out there, but to have something he worked hard to buy called hideous made his blood run cold. The elevator doors opened. He lightly pushed Tony out of the elevator and shoved the suits against his chest. “Shower and rest, Mr. Stark. You have a video conference at twelve o’clock.” And with that, the elevator doors closed in his face.

 


	5. Chapter 5

By the time he returned to the office, Steve wanted to leave the building and head home. He needed to hear Peter read some books to him. He needed to be taken out of his head. He had brought a bag with him to the office, something he could use to carry documents and all those other boring things. He pulled out a silver flask, popping the top and swallowing the contents until he could feel himself become nauseous from the taste. He ran a hand over his face, closing the flask and tossing it back into the bag. He had promised Bucky he would stop. But he was far from surprised that he had broken yet another promise.

He tossed the bag aside, removing the temptation from his work space. He needed to confirm appointments. He opened the contacts listed on the tablet and began to ring the clients.

Eleven o’clock came around before he noticed. He finished the conversation he was having with the last client, promising to meet with him next month to discuss the contract Pepper had begun to discuss with him. He needed to check on Tony, make sure he had listened and was getting ready for the video conference. He took another drink from the flask before heading towards the penthouse.

He was surprised to find Tony in the living room when he exited the elevator. Even more shocked that the billionaire was examining the suits. A rush of anger pulsed through Steve. “I would never damage something that was not mine nor would I steal anything.” He said, his voice tight.

Tony shook his head. “I never thought you would.” He said.

He turned around on the couch to face Steve. There was something about his expression that made the anger lessen. Steve could feel the tension leaving his body and he nodded in response, not wanting to argue with him anymore. He was already screwing everything up and he had barely worked there for more than three hours. He walked around the couch, looking Tony over. He was presentable. He showered and must have rested because he seemed focused.

“Have you eaten breakfast? The video conference should take an hour. Remember to listen before speaking. It would be beneficial to Stark Industries if we managed to get these people on board.” Steve said, moving towards the kitchen.

But he was stopped by a hand wrapping around his wrist. He turned around to raise an eyebrow at Tony. “It has been brought to my attention that I’m an asshole.” Tony said, his hold tightening. “I’m not the kind of person to judge someone based on how much money they make or how expensive their clothing is. I bought the suits because I wanted you to feel welcomed here. You can ask Pepper. I bought her ten pairs of shoes when she started working here, too. I never meant to make you feel like you were inferior. I really do want to get to know you. I promise I’m not trying to get in your pants. That would be a bonus but that’s not what I’m expecting. I need to be able to trust you, Steve. I can’t trust you if I don’t know you…” Steve could not believe that Tony Stark was _apologizing_ to him.

The shock must have shown because Tony smiled sheepishly at him. “I don’t apologize unless I know I’ve done something to hurt someone.” He explained.

Steve lowered his head to look at the hand holding onto him. There were scars everywhere. Most were from time spent in the workshop, others had stories that Steve would never know. He nodded slightly. “I accept your apology. Yes, I was hurt, but I’m not the type of person to hold a grudge. I understand that you want your employees to look the part.” He said.

“I would never want you to wear anything you weren’t comfortable wearing. Just like I would never make you do anything you don’t want to do. I can return the suits but I would really love it if you would accept them as a welcoming gift. It would make me really happy.” Tony batted his eyelashes at Steve, earning a chuckle for his trouble.

Steve exhaled heavily, exasperated with the genius. But there was an underlying tone of fondness as he looked at him. “Alright! I’m going to take your ridiculously expensive monkey suits.” He said.

He started laughing the second Tony jumped from the couch and started dancing around. He was doing some sort of dance that made him look like he was having a seizure, making Steve laugh even more. Tony found that he loved when he was the cause of that laugh. Both men went to the kitchen. Steve assumed that the brunette would have no idea how to handle himself in the kitchen. His assumptions were right. Tony had no clue where any of the kitchen utensils were, leaving the blonde to rummage through the cabinets in search of a frying pan.

He managed to secure a pan and started to make scrambled eggs. He even cooked some bacon. “Been ages since anyone’s cooked for me.” Tony mentioned.

“I would’ve thought a billionaire would have a cook.” Steve said.

Tony nodded in agreement. “But I’m not normal. I hate having people in my space. You can never be too careful.” There was something behind those words that made Steve focus his attention on Tony. He was seated across from him, watching the clouds pass outside with a distant expression.

“Do you hate having me here?” Steve wanted to remove his tongue from his mouth. Why would he ask that? “You’re not people.” Was the answer he received.

Only three hours and he could feel the difference in the atmosphere. He served the scrambled eggs and bacon on a plate, handing the meal to Tony. He chuckled under his breath as he watched Tony devour everything on the plate with a content smile on his face. One would have thought that Tony had been starved for weeks. But he supposed nineteen hours without proper nutrition would leave one with quite an appetite.

The following months are good to them. Neither of them argued since the first day and respected each other enough to speak rather than shout about things that were bothering them. Over time, Steve had become close to Tony. They shared a passion for cars and both of them had a fascination with Star Wars. Before he realized what was happening, his mind was constantly clouded with the thought of Tony. When he had video conferences, Steve settled on the couch beside the television and remained out of view. He watched Tony interact with the business men. There was a sudden transformation. He went from gentle and honest to charming and blunt within seconds. The longer he watched him, the more Steve wondered how much the world knew about the real Tony Stark. None of them managed to reveal how sweet he could be. How he could admit that he was wrong.

At one point, Steve had removed his shoes and pulled his knees to his chest. Watching him was like watching an actor on stage. Nothing about him in that moment was who he really was. He made crude comments, brushed suggestions to the side as though they were beneath him and acted as though the snide comments from the men on the screen made no difference to him.

 _If you happen to fall for him, I wouldn’t blame you._ Steve needed something to drink. There was no way he could have feelings for someone he had known only a couple of months. He placed a hand on his forehead, attempting to check his temperature. There was absolutely no way. But then he thought about the last couple of months. The amount of times he thought about Peggy had dwindled to almost nothing. A sudden wave of remorse washed over him. How could he have forgotten about the love of his life? He turned his head to the side, eyeing the bar in the corner. He would give anything to down an entire bottle of vodka. But what would that say about him? That was he was a drunk that ran from his problems rather than face them.

“It’s been a pleasure, gentlemen. I look forward to continuing business with you.” Tony said.

The television flickered and the screen went black. He turned to face Steve with a smile. “Want a drink? I’m going to make one for myself.” He said, heading towards the bar.

Steve was following him in the blink of an eye. “Sounds good.” He said, his voice rushed.

He was draining the entire cup the second Tony finished making the drink. The brunette watched him with curiosity dancing in his eyes. Steve leaned forward and released a breath he had not realized he was holding. “How much do you drink?” Tony asked, drinking from his own cup.

“Why do you ask?” Steve asked.

Tony smirked around the edge of the glass. “Because you finished your drink before I even had a chance to take a sip.” He answered.

“Rough day.” He decided to keep the answer simple enough.

Both of them continued drinking. By two o’clock, Steve was holding onto the bar to avoid collapsing on the ground. He could barely see straight. But he noticed Tony leaning over the bar. Suddenly, he was staring into those chocolate brown eyes. He hummed lightly. “Are you sure you’re not bisexual?” Tony breathed, his cheeks flushed from the liquor.

“Never kissed a fella before.” Steve mumbled.

Tony grabbed the nearest bottle, taking whatever he could into his mouth. Then he was yanking Steve across the bar. Soft lips pressed against his own before he could think. A tongue glided over his bottom lip and he moaned in response. Once his mouth opened, there was vodka coating his tongue. He pressed harder against Tony, drinking whatever he could. Neither of them are sober enough to remain upright. The further Tony pulls Steve, the further back he has to lean. When both of them are crashing onto the ground, no one is surprised.

Steve moved from his mouth to his neck, sucking on the sensitive skin there. He smiled when he heard a moan come from Tony and sucked harder to hear the moan again. Strong legs are wrapped around his waist and his hands were gripping onto his thighs almost painfully tight. Tight enough to promise pain but light enough to not cause damage. It had been ages since he had last held someone in his arms. He could remember why he loved having someone near. It made him feel needed, wanted. Like he was worth something.

Having Tony there was something else entirely. He could feel heat pouring into his flesh everywhere Tony touched. His body moved on its own, drawing delicious sounds from the brunette beneath him. He wanted to hear more, wanted to see more. So he leaned back to grind his hips down against Tony, smiling when he caught Tony arching his back and pressing harder against him. He would have continued to venture further. He loved the way Tony was making him feel. He loved the way he was making Tony feel.

But when a hand wandered down to the front of his pants, he could see Peggy clear as day in his mind. He jumped from the ground, struggling to stand. “Steve, where are you-“ Tony stopped when he noticed the tears staining his cheeks. “Crap. Steve, I-“ But Steve was waving his hand to stop him from speaking.

“I have no problem with homosexuals.” Steve whispered, “But I lost my wife not even a year ago and I’m still healing. I’m telling you this because I respect you. I don’t want to take advantage of you. You are a good man that deserves to be loved. I can’t be that person for you. I’m sorry. I’ll see you tomorrow.” He was gone before Tony could open his mouth.

Steve did not stop walking until he reached the train station and did not turn around once as he headed home. He was mortified over what he had done. Embarrassed to the point that he had abandoned his belongings in the office and left the building the second he was away from Tony. When he entered the apartment, he remembered that Peter was spending the night with Bucky. He was supposed to be working late.

He rushed into the bathroom. He crouched down, playing with one of the floorboards. He managed to remove the floorboard and reached inside to grab onto a black bag. A couple of bottles of alcohol were inside. He grabbed a random bottle and turned the shower on, sitting on the edge of the tub as he drank. He leaned back until he was laying in the tub, feeling the water spray onto his face.

He held the bottle close to his chest. He remembered feeling like that. The last time he tried to kill himself. Tears clouded his vision. He wanted to be more. He wanted to be able to love someone without feeling like a waste of space. He hurled the bottle across the room, listening to the glass shatter upon impact and sprinkle on the ground. He sobbed and curled into a ball in the bathtub.

He wished he could just disappear.


	6. Chapter 6

Someone was moving him around. At first, he figured it was Bucky. But then he could feel two hands helping him onto his feet. He opened his eyes, blinking multiple times to clear his vision. Once he could see straight, he found that he was being undressed by the one and only Tony Stark. He would have fought against him, tried to put some distance between them, but he knew Tony enough to know that he would never take advantage of him. Especially when he was depressed and intoxicated. He wondered how much time had passed since he left the tower. It must have been a while because his body hurt from laying in the bathtub.

A warm towel brushed against his cheeks. He followed the movement with half-lidded eyes. He moaned at the contact, attempting to bury his face in the cloth. In order to reach the top of his head, Tony had stood on his toes and stretched his arms high over his head. Steve should have been the one caring for him. He was the genius that spent too many hours in the workshop. He was the one that went hours without food, days without sleep. Since when had he allowed himself to become the one that needed to be taken of?

Tears began to fall without permission. How had he left himself become so pathetic? He smothered the sobs threatening to break free. Even though Steve had turned around and ran away, denying Tony what he deserved, Tony was there to help him out. “Too good to me…” He slurred.

A sad smile was thrown his way. He stumbled close behind Tony as the brunette led him towards the living room. Before he could continue to the bedroom, Steve jerked his head towards the couch. “Sleep ‘ere.” He mumbled.

He managed to settle on the couch without falling onto the ground. A sudden warmth spread throughout his chest when he felt Tony settle beside him. Neither of them spoke for what seemed like ages. Steve focused on not leaning to the side, trying to force his body to become sober. “Why do you sleep here if you have a perfectly good bed?” He smiled at the question. Tony was never one to beat around the bush.

“Memories…It hurts.” Every time he laid in the bed, he was plagued with memories of the past. The first night he laid in the bed after losing Peggy, he woke up the following morning and called out for her. He spent several minutes waiting for a response. Then the memories from the previous day came crashing against him. He almost broke. The amount of tears he shed that morning could have filled an eight foot deep pool.

He waved his hand towards the front door. “How’d you…?” He was curious as to how Tony managed to get inside his apartment. He needed the subject change, not wanting to think about Peggy while having a conversation with a man he almost slept with.

“I’m an expert at picking locks. Picking yours was no problem. But I did knock for about twenty minutes before picking the lock! I was worried though. Your neighbor told me you were inside, mentioned that she was worried about you. So I picked the lock and here we are.” Tony said.

Those twenty minutes were painful. When he knocked on the next door, he was surprised to find a curious older woman answering the door. She informed him that he was inside the apartment and that she was worried about him. Since his wife passed away, he had become more withdrawn and isolated himself. She would have conversations with him every morning as he was taking Peter to the bus stop but she hadn’t seen him in the last couple of months. He managed to escape without running into anyone.

Tony spent another five minutes staring at the door. There were a million things that could go wrong if he picked the lock but he thought about what could have happened. A drunk Steve could have fallen and slammed his head against something or passed out with his head down the toilet. He decided that the consequences were worth guaranteeing that Steve was okay.

The apartment was silent. He called out several times but there was no response. He looked inside each room in the hallway. When he came across the bedroom, he realized how bad Steve was hurting. Everything in the bedroom looked like he had moved in the day before and had yet to sleep in the bed. Nothing was out of place. But the living room was lived in. He pieced together that Steve most likely spent his nights on the couch rather than sleeping in the same bed he shared with his wife. Helping Steve out of the bathroom only confirmed his suspicions.

When he opened the bathroom door to find an unconscious Steve laying in the bathtub, his heart sunk. He raced over to check his pulse and fought to spray the water over his face. He was more than relieved when he found blue peeking out from underneath long eyelashes.

“Being alive sucks.” Tony said, “But if you’re lucky… you find people that make being here worth the struggles. I found my best friend, Rhodey when I was fourteen and drunk at a college party. Then I found Pepper when I was a thirty year old business man with more money than he cared to spend. Having them around makes everything leading up to this point and everything afterwards worth it.”

He turned to look at Steve. “Do you have people like that?” He asked.

Immediately, he thought about Peter and Bucky. “Yes… I have my son and my best friend. My family.” Steve breathed.

“I know everything may seem like it’s going wrong but look at everything that’s going right. You may have lost your wife but she gave you something no one else could and that’s a son that loves you more than anything in the world. Then you have your best friend that loves you like a brother. Steve, I’m not sure how much clearer anyone has to say this but you are not alone.” Those chocolate brown eyes were intense as he spoke. “You don’t need to drink yourself unconscious. Instead of spending time passed out in the bathtub, take your son to the park or something. I don’t know what kids like to do. Call your best friend and tell him what’s on your mind. You can even talk to me. Even though I know you may not want to be near me…”

Steve inhaled deeply. “Thank you. I mean that with all my heart. I’m not upset with you, Tony. I never was. I was upset with myself. The world seems darker without Peggy but when I met you…” He trailed off. Both of them watched each other for a while. Steve noticed the white line running beneath his right eye, a scar from the distant past. He wanted to question him about each of the scars on his body. Not only that but he wanted to get to know them intimately.

He was capturing those soft lips before he could second guess himself. His trembling hands reached upwards to hold onto his face, running his thumb along the coarse hairs of his goatee. Unlike earlier, the kiss was gentle. They moved together like they were meant to be close in that way. Like their bodies had been made to be intertwined with one another.

He pulled away enough to speak. “I think I like you…” Despite how Tony had found him, Steve seemed sober at the moment. He was watching those soft lips curl into a smile as the brunette registered what the blonde had said to him. “Yeah?” Tony asked.

Steve nodded, biting his lip. “A lot.” He whispered.

The men leaned towards each other, about to share another kiss, when something fell to the ground by the front door. Color drained from their faces and both of them turned around to find Peter standing there. His book bag had landed beside his feet. Peter may be young but he wasn’t stupid. He knew exactly what was happening. He took a step backwards, bumping into his uncle.

“What’s wrong, Pete? Look like you saw a ghost.” Bucky teased.

But whatever smile he wore vanished when he spotted the men on the couch. Steve was whiter than a sheet and Tony was glancing around the room, unsure of what to focus on. Peter was running out down the hallway before anyone could say anything.

“Peter!” Steve shouted, chasing after his son.

Bucky remained in the doorway with shock written on his face. Then his expression turned cold. “I’m not sure what kind of game you’re playin’, Stark. Steve needed a job and I’m grateful that you gave ‘im a chance, but I’m not goin’ to let you play with his heart and hurt ‘im. He barely knows left from right. Leave before I lose my temper and trust me, you’d hate to be on the receivin’ end of my fist.” He growled.

“I would never play with him like that. Especially not with Peter around.” Tony could not believe that another person was claiming they knew his intentions. Sure, he had been around the block a couple times, but he genuinely cared about Steve. He was the only person that could stand being around him long enough to get to know him.

Bucky shook his head. “That little boy’s cryin’ because his papa’s kissin’ someone that’s not his momma. Come around another time, Stark. But you need to leave before Peter comes back.” He said, stepping aside to open a path for him to leave.

Tony had been gone five minutes when Peter entered the apartment with a red face. He was furious. “How could you, Papa? You said you’d love Momma forever! You and Momma said that you only kiss people you love. You were kissin’ that person like you kissed Momma!” He shouted. “I don’t care what you say! I’m not goin’ to forget about Momma! If you forget about her, I’ll just need to remember her even more.”

Steve was in tears as his son shouted. He covered his face with his trembling hands, unable to stay silent. “Are you goin’ to find another…” Peter stopped speaking, rubbing his eyes angrily.

“Sweetheart, I would never forget about Momma. I love Momma with everything in my heart. I promise, Peter.” Steve sobbed.

Peter looked at his father. “When’re you goin’ to replace me, Papa?” He asked, his voice cracking.

Steve launched across the living room and embraced his son. Peter fought against his hold, wanting nothing more than to be far away from him. “I would never in a million years replace you or Momma. I love you so much, honey. You are my world and if I lost you…” Steve shook with tears, “I would die.” He choked out.

Bucky decided that would be the precise moment for him to intervene. He crouched down beside them and placed a hand on Peter’s back. “You know how you love your momma and papa?” He asked, keeping his voice soft.

He received a curt nod from the four year old. “Those are two people. You love me, too, right?” Peter nodded once more. “There, you’ve got three people you love. Just because you love a lot of people, that doesn’t mean you forget about the other people. It just means you’ve got a big heart and lots of love to give. Your papa would never forget about your momma. He loves her just as much as you love her. But he has enough love to share with the entire world. Maybe even the entire universe. So just because he loves someone else, it doesn’t mean he forgot about your momma. It just means that he’s sharin’ the love.” Bucky explained.

Steve was nodding furiously in agreement. His face was covered with tears for what seemed like the millionth time that day. Peter started crying. “I’m sorry, Papa…” He whimpered, wrapping his arms around his father.

“It’s okay, sweetheart. You didn’t know. It’s okay.” Steve whispered.

Bucky smiled at them. “Now, I think you might have to apologize to the man. How about we invite him over for dinner tomorrow night?” He asked, standing to head into the kitchen.

“I’m not sure that would be-“ Steve was cut off by Peter. “Yes! Papa, invite him over for dinner! Then I can love him, too. Just like you, Papa.” He exclaimed.

Steve blushed. “I mean, love is a pretty strong word…” He mumbled.

Bucky started laughing. “Come on, Stevie. I bet you let ‘im…” He started grinding against the air when Peter wasn’t looking, laughing harder when Steve started to choke on his saliva.


	7. Chapter 7

After dinner, the family settled on the couch for a movie. Halfway through, Peter had fallen asleep with his head on his father’s lap. His light breathing could be heard drifting throughout the living room. “Are you sure about this?” Bucky asked.

Steve turned his head to raise an eyebrow at his best friend. “Am I sure about what?” He asked. His head was leaned back against the couch, his hand weaving through the soft brown curls piled atop Peter’s head. “I don’t want you to get hurt, Stevie. People like him are unpredictable.” Oh, he’s talking about Tony. “I need to know that you’re sure about this?” Bucky said.

“I’m not sure about anything, Buck.” He admitted. He glanced down at his son with a sad smile. “You know I was supposed to work late. Everything was supposed to go like usual. But I was drinking with Tony and drank too much… We got too close and I freaked out. So I came home, running away like a coward. I found something in the bathroom and drank until I passed out in the shower. He came inside and helped me out. Even though I had been such an asshole… he was there when I needed him. So I’m not worried about him taking advantage of me or hurting anyone I love. He’s a good man, Bucky. A better man than me.” He said, his voice softening.

“He said something that made sense. Being alive sucks but you find people that make the struggles worth it. For me, that’s you and Peter. I’m not alone anymore. I need to stop acting like I am. Before I realize it, I’ll forget the important things in life and end up losing everything. I don’t think I could survive losing you guys. So I’m going to be better. I know I’ve promised a million times that I was done drinking but… this time is different. I feel like I can do this.” There was a familiar fire burning in his eyes. One Bucky hadn’t seen since before Peggy died. Unlike the other times, Bucky believed that the drinking was in the past and that’s where it would stay.

He released a sound that would put most lions to shame. “Alright. Invite ‘im over for dinner tomorrow. I mean, you have to since Peter wants to meet him.” He said, pointing to the sleeping four year old. “And we have to start plannin’ what we’re going to do with him for his fifth birthday. Can’t believe the tyke goin’ to be five. Feels like just yesterday Peggy got pregnant.” He hummed.

It would be the first birthday party Peggy missed, the first birthday cake she wouldn’t bake. She would spend time in the kitchen baking with Peter, having him decorate the cake. Something about teaching him how to fend for himself when he was old enough to move out and how he would need to cook for them when they were old. Of course, that was the cover. In reality, she never had the chance to bake with her mother. Baking with Peter was her favorite thing in the world. She was lucky enough that it happened to be Peter’s favorite thing, too. Steve had no idea how to bake a cake. The last time he made an attempt to surprise Peggy on her birthday with a cake, the fire department was called and he had no eyebrows for three months. Bucky was even worse at baking. He could cook a meal but when it came to baking, he was like a fish out of water.

Steve sighed. “Are you sure inviting Tony over for dinner is a good idea? I mean, I’ve kissed him twice! We haven’t even gone out on a proper date. Isn’t it too soon for him to be… meeting the family?” He asked.

“Not when you’ve got the tyke. Look, he needs to be aware of how much havin’ a kid changes the rules of datin’. Pete’s not mine but I told Darcy from the start that I wouldn’t be able to give ‘er my undivided attention attention ‘cause my nephew needs me around most of the time. Not that I mind. She accepted that and it made things ten times easier.” Bucky placed a hand on his shoulder. “Have ‘im meet Peter. See if this’s what he wants.”

It made sense. But that did not make the situation any less awkward. Steve conceded. He nodded along with what Bucky said. "Alright! I'll take to him about dinner _but_ you're going to invite Darcy over, too. I want to get to know her better. All I know is that she has a wicked sense of humor and _may_ be more mischievous than you. Plus, it's my duty as your best friend to tell her each and every single embarrassing thing you have ever done. Don't think I won't whip out the albums! You know how Peter _loves_ the albums." There was that glint in his eyes.

Bucky tried to smack him but stopped when Peter made an attempt to move closer to his father, turning to bury his head in his stomach. The two men watched him for several moments, soft smiles on their face. "Everythin' we do is for him. We're all he's got." Bucky said.

"Hoping tomorrow goes as planned, he may just have two more people in his corner." Steve added.

In the morning, Steve was blushing the entire way to the tower. Even when he entered the office, he genuinely believed his face would burn off. He went through the duties of personal assisting by confirming appointments and planning meetings for next month. Around three o’clock in the afternoon, he was finished with everything for the day.

“JARVIS, where is Tony?” He asked.

“Sir is located in the workshop, Steve.” JARVIS responded.

Steve spun around in the chair. “How is he?” He asked.

“Sir appears to be frustrated. He has destroyed over twelve million dollars worth of equipment and began drinking fifteen minutes ago. I believe it would be beneficial to intervene before Sir reaches the point of intoxication where he lacks impulse control.” JARVIS advised.

The blonde was entering the workshop five minutes later. He realized that he had been more concerned about his own issues that he forgot Tony was not the most stable of people. He needed to intervene before Tony made something explode. A hammer flew across the workshop, crashing against something behind him. The machines that were considered his helpers were beeping worriedly at their creator. Especially Dummy. He was racing around the room, attempting to avoid the machine parts and tools that were flying across the room.

Steve approached the enraged brunette. He was holding a bottle in one hand and the other hand was buried in what had once been a microwave. Every few seconds, he tossed a useless piece of the microwave across the room. There were a dozen piles of parts scattered around the workshop. “What happened?” Steve asked, reaching out to touch his arm.

“Might want to run away now, Rogers. Wouldn’t want me taking advantage of you.” Tony said but there was no heat.

The blonde shook his head and wrapped his hand around his bicep, pulling him towards him. The brunette went without a fight. “You would never do that to me.” Steve said, running a hand along his back in a soothing motion.

“According to your buddy, that’s the kind of person I am.” Tony mumbled. Sheer self-hatred was radiating from the normally confident billionaire. But Steve supposed he had missed out on the hidden issues Tony had. “Maybe we should spend some time apart. Only talk during work and…” He sunk his teeth into his lower lip, unable to process the thought.

Steve chuckled. “You know, you are the exact opposite of what I expected.” He mentioned.

He continued to chuckle when Tony attempted to shove him back. The brunette was red with anger and rage. “Oh, I’m sorry. Let me go back to fucking everything with two legs.” He snapped.

“You stopped sleeping around for me?” Steve was smiling wider than he thought possible. The infamous playboy, Tony Stark had stopped sleeping around because he was falling for his personal assistant. Whoever said he was heartless clearly had no idea who Tony was.

Tony huffed. “Don’t be so conceited.” He mumbled.

Steve pressed a light kiss against his head, sending butterflies fluttering around Tony’s stomach. “Have dinner with us tonight. I explained the situation to Peter and he wants to meet you.” Steve said.

“What exactly is the situation?” Tony asked.

Steve hummed in thought, cocking his head to the side. “I happen to like you and you happen to like me. So we are going to see where this goes. But I think it would be a good idea if you met Peter before we went any further. You need to understand that he’s a major part of the package. Without him, there’s no me.” He explained.

No one had ever invited Tony over for a family dinner before. It would be foreign, something entirely new from the usual. He could feel his hands shaking and he grabbed onto the white shirt Steve wore. He inhaled deeply. “I don’t want him to hate me.” He whispered. Being accepted by the son of his boyfriend/lover/friend thing was the only way he could continue seeing Steve. He would never make him choose. He understood how badly a child needed their parent. Especially when one of them wasn’t around.

“How about I give you some tips?” Steve asked.

Tony nodded furiously. He was led to the couch in the corner of the workshop and forced down. “One thing Peter hates more than anything in the world is a liar. His mother could tell when someone was lying and unfortunately, Peter inherited that ability. He isn’t afraid of calling you out on it. Also, he is _extremely_ intelligent. I’m sure you understand how frustrating it can be when everyone treats you like a kid when you’re ten times smarter than every single person in the room. So treat him like you would treat anyone else. Like an equal. Other than that, there’s nothing that could make him hate you. We happen to have very similar tastes. So I think you’ll be fine.” Steve said, smiling.

“I think you are one of the most amazing men I have ever met and I made sure to tell Bucky that, too. You are kind and generous. Far more than I could ever be. I really do like you, Tony.” His face turned an unnatural shade of red. “No one has ever understood me like you do. I mean that. I would be beyond happy if you and my family got along. I want all of my favorite people to enjoy being around each other.”

He lowered himself onto Tony’s lap and wrapped his arms around his neck. “Want to make me the happiest man in the world and join us for dinner tonight?” He asked, his voice deepening as he leaned forward.

Tony could look nowhere other than his lips. He nodded, captivated by the beautiful man before him. “I would love to.” He breathed and then, he was being kissed by the enthusiastic blonde.


	8. Chapter 8

Growing up, Steve thought there was something wrong with him. While the other children were chasing their crushes around, he wanted nothing more than to spend time drawing. Even when he entered high school, he never found others attractive or arousing. Not that anyone would have given him the time of day. Back then, he was shorter than average and as thin as a rail. His classmates, both male and female, wanted someone more concrete. A person that wouldn’t be in danger of flying away with the wind. There was one person that came close to being considered attractive to Steve but it was more platonic than anything. He thought she was beautiful with a good heart and a passion for art. An interest both of them shared. She was the first person to want to be around Steve. She thought he was brave for standing up against bullies even when he went home with a broken nose and bruises covering every inch of his body.

As cliche as it sounds, Peggy was the first one Steve found both attractive and arousing. She was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. He was confused by the feelings and how he reacted whenever she was in the room. His face would turn red, his heart would race and he craved to hold her in every way there was to hold a woman. The most reasonable course of action was to explain everything to Bucky, hoping his best friend could shed light on the situation. What he got was a hysterical laughter. Laughing to the point Bucky doubled over in pain, unable to control the laughter spilling past his lips.

Fortunately, Bucky seemed to sober when he realized that Steve was genuinely conflicted. He decided that he would explain what was happening the only way he knew how. He had never been the best at explaining things. “ _Stevie, you wanna fuck ‘er. Or maybe you wanna make love to ‘er. Either way, you wanna shove your meat rocket up ‘er-_ “ Steve covered his mouth before he could continue speaking.

There was no one other than Peggy that made his heart race. When Peggy died, he was positive that he would live out the rest of his days alone and he was alright with that. But nothing in his life ever went according to plan. Meeting Tony was the most liberating and confused thing to happen to him. He had never encountered someone that challenged him, pushed him beyond his limits. Not in the way Tony did. He made Steve question everything he knew, everything he had been taught. But how could he be surprised? Pepper seemed to have known exactly how things would play out before either of them did. Steve assumed he would spend the years working as his personal assistant and nothing more. Tony assumed he would sleep with Steve and be done with him. The current development only proved that Pepper Potts was always right.

“Stevie’s one of those nervous pacers.” Bucky informed Darcy as the brunettes watched Steve pace back and forth. “I remember when Peggy was givin’ birth to Pete, he paced so much that Peggy kicked ‘im out the room.” He chuckled at the memory. He had been seated in the waiting room, anxiously awaiting the announcement that his nephew had been born, when he caught sight of a depressed Steve. He looked like a kicked puppy. Unfortunately for him, the kicked puppy look never worked on Peggy.

Even while Bucky told whatever embarrassing stories he could about his best friend, Steve was distracted by the storm of nerves swirling around his stomach. After he asked Tony to join them for dinner, the men spent the remainder of the afternoon making out until Steve had to leave. He was surprised by how simple it was being with Tony. But then again, Tony had the tendency to make everything seem as easy as breathing.

“Stevie also has a type. I wish you coulda met Peggy. She held the heat of a thousand suns in ‘er eyes and trust me, I don’t say that lightly.” Bucky said, shivering at the memory of her wrath.

Darcy leaned against him, her eyes following the nervous blonde. “What exactly is his type?” She asked.

“Feisty, stubborn brunettes. He finds ‘em and keeps ‘em. He found me but ‘m more a ladies man. Then he found Peggy, kept ‘er. Now we’re movin’ on to Stark.” The second he mentioned Tony, Steve whipped his head towards the door. “Is he here?” He choked out.

The brunettes looked at each other, doing some strange telepathy, before reaching out and yanking the veteran onto the couch. Steve would have escaped from the imprisonment but he was taught never to manhandle a woman. So he remained stuck between them, eyes fixated on the door across the room. He could feel his heart racing, a sudden wave of nausea overwhelming him.

Darcy ran her fingers through his hair. She was not surprised when he became pliant under her administrations. She smiled down at him. Peter adored when she played with his hair. Something about the gentle gesture soothed him. “Listen, everything’s going to be fine. Even a blind man could see how crazy that man is about you. Plus, he’s not getting any younger. Maybe this is exactly what he needs.” She said, keeping her voice soft.

Though he settled down, Steve was younger than most fathers. A widower and single father at the age of twenty-six. He had seen more bloodshed than the average person and in his eyes, there was an unwavering wisdom there. A permanent reminder that he had seen what evil could do. Then there was Tony. People were curious as to when the billionaire would settle down and start a family. Even more curious about who would take over Stark Industries. He was forty-five and he had changed very little since he was twenty-one.

Steve thought he would beautiful children. With his chocolate brown eyes, those children would be menaces to society. “Do you think he wants to be with a woman and have children?” His blue eyes settled on Darcy. “I’m not exactly a woman, you know. Even though I happen to like a man, I would never be able to give him a child.” He said.

“Are you tryin’ to say you’re a bottom, Stevie?” Bucky asked, wiggling his eyebrows.

Steve reached over Darcy and smacked him. “What’s a bottom?” The three of them froze.

None of them heard Peter enter the room. He was standing there with a brush, attempting to tame the mess he called hair. He wanted to look as nice as he could. Something about making a good second impression. Bucky cleared his throat. “Nothin’. I thought your pops was sayin’ he was bottom shelf. Weird, huh?” He ended the sentence with a nervous laugh.

Luckily, Peter was distracted with brushing his hair that he failed to analyze the entire situation. “I think Papa’s a top shelf.” Peter murmured. He figured that someone on the top shelf was more important than someone on the bottom shelf. Or at least had more responsibilities and was viewed highly by more people. Either way, his father would always be number one in his eyes.

He was confused when his uncle and Darcy started laughing uncontrollably. He raised an eyebrow at them but remained silent. Both of them were wheezing when Steve manged to escape from them. He went over to Peter, crouching down to help him with his hair. “You look swell tonight, Pete.” He mentioned, running the brush through his hair.

Peter was wearing his church clothes, a grey suit with shiny black shoes. “I’ve gotta make a good second impression, Papa. I even have my lucky tie. See?” He rumbled around in his pockets until he found what he was looking for. He revealed a black tie with a spiderweb design. It had been a gift from his mother on his fourth birthday. Ever since he won a talent show while wearing the tie, he was convinced that the tie was lucky.

Steve placed the brush on the ground, having managed to tame his hair, and started to put his tie on. “I’m sure Tony’s going to be blown away by how handsome you are. I know I am.” He said, kissing his cheek once he finished.

“Do you really think I look good, Papa?” Peter asked.

Steve nodded. “You look amazing, sweetheart.” He answered.

“But like school good, church good or business man good?” Peter asked.

Steve smiled at his son. Peter wanted to make sure that Tony thought he was professional. That was the reason he took out his Sunday clothes and even brought out his lucky tie. He straightened his jacket. “You could be the president looking like this.” He said seriously.

Everything was worth watching how Peter shined. He leaned forward to embrace his father, holding him close. Steve returned the hug. “Do you think I look like you?” Peter asked, his voice uncertain. “Everyone’s always sayin’ how much I look like Momma… Sometimes, I wish someone’d say I look like you.”

Steve thought that he was identical to his mother but those blue eyes were him. He leaned back to hold his face, looking into those eyes that could be carbon copies of his own. “You may have your mother’s face and hair and everything else, but you have my eyes. These blue eyes are all mine.” He said.

Peter seemed pleased with the answer but he wanted to be held. So Steve stood, holding Peter against his chest and moved around the living room to check that everything was in place. Darcy went to check on the food in the oven, having volunteered to cook for them. Everyone was thankful because Steve was horrible in the kitchen and Bucky was too lazy to cook for more than three people.

Then there was a light knock.

Almost immediately, Peter demanded to be placed on the ground. Steve obeyed his demands and lowered him onto the ground. He watched how Peter straightened his back and checked his appearance in the mirror beside the window. He smiled softly at him. He was trying hard to make a good impression and he was thankful that he wanted to have Tony around. It was more than he could have asked for.

Steve moved over towards the door, inhaling deeply before opening it. 


	9. Chapter 9

Instead of finding Tony waiting on the other side of the door, a young woman was standing there. Someone he had not seen in nearly six years. He placed his hand on the wooden door frame, unable to control how his hand tightened and caused the frame to groan under the sudden pressure. Old anger came rushing back to the surface. He had never wanted to hit a woman so hard in his life. “Sharon, what are you doing here?” He asked. His voice had turned cold, he needed to punch a hole through the nearest surface.

The blonde woman was focused on his hand. She audibly gulped. “I can’t come to visit my brother-in-law and nephew?” She asked, her voice cracking.

She twitched. Steve narrowed his eyes, unable to comprehend how she thought it would be alright to come to the apartment. The place he had lived with his deceased wife, the woman she had abandoned. “Darcy, I would appreciate it if you could take Peter to his room.” He said.

Darcy was moving within seconds. He could hear Peter whine but he listened and went with Darcy without asking questions. “I’m not going to ask you again, Sharon.” Steve said.

“Have you gone deaf, Rogers? I answered your question. I’m here to see Peter.” She spat.

A hand landed on his shoulder. He noticed that he had taken a step towards Sharon and his hand was close to splintering the wood. “You have no family here. You are not welcomed here. I want you to leave immediately before I call the authorities.” He growled.

“I want to see-“ Steve could feel his patience wearing thin. “Do you not understand English or do I have to ask Bucky to translate for you? You have no family here. You are not welcomed here. Have you forgotten how you abandoned your only sister when she needed you most? Have you forgotten how you treated her because you were insecure in your empty marriage? Have you forgotten how you tormented her, making her feel responsible for how you ruined your own life?” His voice was rising by the second and he found that he no longer had control over himself. “She died and not even her own fucking sister could be bothered to attend the funeral! You have no right to be here. I swear, you will never see Peter. I don’t care what I have to do to keep him far _far_ away from you.”

The color had drained from her face as he ranted. She took a step backwards, bumping into someone behind her. She turned her head and her eyes widened significantly. There was Tony Stark, watching Steve turn an unnatural shade of red. She turned her attention back on the furious blonde. 

"I-I realized how badly I messed up and I want to fix-" Steve cut her off once again. "There's nothing to fix, Sharon. Peggy is dead. You missed out on an amazing woman and the most intelligent, sweetest little boy. You couldn't have expected that a simple apology would change the fact that you are the _only_ person in this world I have a deep hatred for." His chest was getting tight and breathing was becoming a hardship, but he carried on. "Six years, Sharon. Six _long_ years of Peggy wondering why her only sister hated her. Six years of Peggy feeling guilty because her son would never know her own family. Six years of you claiming that I am nothing but Brooklyn trash. That she should have married someone with money. Six years."

The memories were becoming harder to bear. The first three years, Peggy would watch Peter from a distance. Guilt written all over her face. She understood that Steve had no one left, that his family was gone. But she had surviving family and she had always dreamed that her sister would be a big part of her child's life. Yet she was abandoned, cast aside because Sharon feared her husband would leave her for Peggy.

Nothing could erase those times. As forgiving as Steve had proven to be, there were some things that could never be forgiven and that was one of them. He placed a hand on his chest, wrinkling his nose. Tony moved the woman to the side, placing his hands against Steve's chest and pushing him back into the apartment.

“Breathe, Steve. Come on, sweetheart. Use those beautiful lungs.” He encouraged. “Bucky, would you mind?” He jerked his head towards the woman standing in the hallway.

Nothing more needed to be said. Bucky was moving past them and closing the door behind him, his voice low but lethal as he spoke with Sharon. Tony guided Steve to the couch. “Honey, I need you to tell me where your pump is.” He said, running a hand down his back.

A box appeared on his lap. He lifted his head to find a concerned Darcy there. “He keeps everything in the closet.” She said.

He went about helping Steve breathe, whispering encouragements. Five minutes later, Steve was breathing closer to normal. He slumped against Tony with his face pressed against his crimson shirt. Not that Tony minded. He continued to whisper into his ear, helping him through the asthma attack and the anxiety bubbling in his chest.

“I ruined dinner before we could even begin.” Steve groaned.

Tony chuckled. “I’m pretty sure there’s food in the kitchen and no one’s covered in blood or having a heart attack so dinner’s still on. As long as you’re fine to continue. If not, I can come around another time.” He said.

Steve shook his head furiously. “No! No, I’m okay. I feel better now that I can breathe.” He waved the inhaler around, chuckling.

“Papa?” A frightened voice came from the hallway. He could see Peter peeking around the corner, worried after hearing loud voices and his father yelling. Steve moved away from Tony and opened his arms. Peter raced across the living room and threw himself into the embrace. “I’m sorry about that, sweetheart.” Steve apologized.

Before he could continue to bask in the reassurance, Peter seemed to have realized that Tony was seated right beside him. He jumped back as though he had been burned and fussed with his jacket. Then he extended his hand for the traditional handshake. “Good evening. My name is Peter Parker Rogers. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” He said.

Snickering could be heard in the kitchen. Bucky must have went to check on dinner with Darcy and overheard the professional introduction from Peter. The brunettes peeked around the door frame, watching with mirth dancing in their eyes. But Peter did not falter, not once. Of course, Tony was more than happy to humor him and grasped onto his hand firmly.

“The pleasure is mine, Mr. Rogers. I’m Tony Stark but please, call me Tony.” He said.

Peter nodded, shaking his hand. “Call me Peter. Mr. Rogers is my grandfather.” He replied.

Steve smiled at his son and reached out to pull him back into the embrace. Despite the wriggling he received from Peter, he continued to hold him tight. “When did you become so mature?” He asked.

“Papa! I have to be mature for my…” He glanced at Tony and made an attempt to whisper into his father’s ear, “second impression.”

Tony heard him loud and clear. Though he acted as though he had not heard a single thing. He watched with a smile on his face. As father and son conversed with each other, Tony thought about the relationship he had with his own father. Nothing seemed to have gone wrong. Not once. Both of them were constantly butting heads. His mother was convinced it was because they were too alike. Back then, Tony refused to admit that he was like his father. He spent most of his life trying to be the exact opposite. In the end, he was his mirror image and he could never escape that.

Then Peter cleared his throat. “Before we can continue with our appointment,” Bucky started laughing and was yanked back into the kitchen by Darcy. “I need to make sure you are aware of the requirements needed to date my father.” Peter said.

Steve sunk his teeth into his lower lip, trying his best not to join his best friend in laughter. “What exactly are those requirements?” Tony asked, leaning forward.

“My father should not shed a single tear during your time together. Also, I should inform you that if you make my father cry, I will not be held responsible for what I might do to you. The most important thing is to make him happy.” Peter’s eyes softened. “He deserves everythin’ in the whole wide world. Because he’s my hero and my father… I don’t have many people in my life. I have Papa, Uncle Bucky and Darcy. So I need you to understand that I need to protect 'em with everythin' I've got. I’d like you to become a part of our family. But you have to make sure that Papa’s the happiest person in the world. I never want him to be sad. So you can’t make him sad!” He said.

“ _I love Mother and Jarvis more than anything. I never want them to be sad._ ” He could remember when he said those words. How passionate he had been about their happiness. He wanted nothing more than to see them smile. He understood exactly where Peter was coming from. Jarvis had become more important to him after he lost his parents. Even though he was seventeen, he still needed someone to be there for him. Everyone did.

Tony extended his hand for another handshake. This time it was to seal the deal. “I promise that I’m going to try my best to make him happy.” He vowed.

Peter watched him for several moments. Entrusting Tony with his father was a massive decision. If something went wrong, he would have only himself to blame. But as he looked into those warm brown eyes, he found that he was genuine. He was telling the truth one hundred percent. His mother would have liked him. Nothing he did seemed to be half-hearted. So he inhaled deeply, grasped onto his hand and looked him dead in the eyes.

“I trust you.”


	10. Chapter 10

For dinner, Darcy made grilled chicken and mashed potatoes. The meal was absolutely delicious and the men were not ashamed to continuously remind Darcy. Even Peter was enjoying the meal. Steve chewed on some chicken, watching Peter and Tony speak about the upcoming science fair. Judging by the hand gestures Peter was making, Steve assumed he was describing what he planned on creating. Of course, Tony responded enthusiastically whenever science was involved. He was quick to volunteer his services which Peter was more than happy to accept.

He had been nervous for no reason. They were getting on like a house on fire. “Oh!” Tony turned to face Bucky, “Would you mind stopping by the tower sometime this week? I have something I want to show you. It shouldn’t take longer than fifteen minutes.” Bucky raised an eyebrow but refused to question the man. He had been told by Darcy that trying to figure out Tony Stark could drive a man insane. So he nodded in response.

Even Bucky could feel his heart skip a beat when Tony smiled brightly at him. The billionaire seemed oblivious to the effect he had on them. He resumed the conversation he was having with Peter, mentioning something about thrusters. As dangerous as the invention was beginning to sound, Steve knew that Tony would never place Peter in danger and Peter was smart enough to know where to draw the line.

Steve focused his attention on Bucky. “Do you think he’s plannin’ to kill me?” Bucky whispered, watching Tony with narrowed eyes.

He was shoved to the side by his best friend. “You’ll be fine. Maybe he wants to give you a brain.” Steve snickered.

The best friends began to argue back and forth. Darcy watched with amusement, wondering how she managed to get sucked into the equation. But the focus moved from Tony onto the young brunette. Steve shoved Bucky backwards, ignoring the loud shout as he crashed onto the ground and stole the vacant seat beside Darcy. “I have to ask! How did you end up with this knucklehead?” He asked, pointing to the grumbling man.

The conversation between Tony and Peter was placed on pause. Both of them were curious to hear. Darcy cocked her head to the side, humming in thought. She could hear Bucky mumbling about flowers and bees on the ground, rubbing his back. She turned to smile at him. He stopped the mumbling. His expression softened and he smiled in return.

“Over the summer, a friend of mine asked for my opinion on what flowers to buy his girlfriend. I wouldn’t trust him buying flowers for his own mother so I went along to avoid what could have been a global disaster. Flowers attract bees as I’m sure you know.” She started giggling. “While I was inside the flower shop, I heard a scream from the sidewalk. Being the amazing person I am, I decided to head outside to check what was going on. I happened to find the funniest thing I had ever seen in my life.” The smile Bucky had been wearing was gone, replaced by a glare. “Bucky was being chased by bees! H-He had knocked down a hive a-and I don’t think I’ve ever heard a-a man scream so high-pitched… I-I thought it was a woman…” Darcy bent over the table and laughed into the wooden surface.

Bucky stood from the ground. “Bees are lethal, alright? People die from bee stings all the time.” He defended.

Darcy attempted to gather enough oxygen to finish the story. She waved a hand around. “Eventually, the bees decided they had better things to do and went about their business. By then, his arms were covered with stingers. So I offered to remove them. Honey bees are one of the only insects that leave their stingers in the skin. It can be dangerous if you leave them. The venom sack will continue pumping venom and… yeah, you get it. Anyways! So I’m pretty sure I removed a hundred of them-“ Bucky pouted, “More like one hundred twenty-six…” he inserted.

She reached out to place a hand on his arm. “After I removed them, he looked at me and goes… What’s a pretty woman like you doin’ in a place like this? All I could do was laugh because this man had just been attacked by bees for half an hour yet he still had the energy to flirt with me. How could a woman reject a man like that? So we went from there.” She finished, turning around to kiss him on the cheek.

No one missed how Bucky melted under her touch. He leaned into the light kiss and hummed, nuzzling closer to Darcy. It was obvious that Bucky had fallen in love with Darcy. Since Steve had met him, Bucky had never spent more than a couple of hours on a woman. He would rant about how he would never get married because there was no one that could keep his attention for that long. He respected woman, having been raised by his mother alone, but he had yet to encounter a woman that knocked him off his feet. Then he came across the snarky Darcy Lewis. Everything from there was history.

“I want a kiss, too, Steve!” Tony whined.

Peter started giggling. “Me too! I want a kiss, too, Papa!” He cheered.

Steve smiled at them before leaning over the table to place a kiss against Peter’s forehead and one on Tony’s cheek. The billionaire seemed displeased with the location of the kiss but he figured he would find a way to get what he wanted later on. “Alright, Peter. It’s time for you to head to bed. It’s eight o’clock.” Steve said, pointing to the clock beside the fridge.

The four year old groaned. “Come on, Papa. Just a couple more minutes.” He pleaded.

But his father shook his head. “I’m sure Tony can come over another time. But you have a spelling test tomorrow and you need to be rested up for it.” Steve said sternly.

Even though Peter continued to complain, he stood from the table and gathered his plate. “Why do I have to take the test? I already know all the words. Takin’ the test would only make the others feel bad.” He grumbled.

Steve was reminded that he needed to begin searching for an institution that would better cater to Peter. A program that would challenge him. There were times when Peter would just stare at the homework, wondering why he had to continue going over material he knew by heart. Of course, he was more advanced than the other children. The others were barely managing to grasp onto the concepts.

He smiled at Peter. “I know, sweetheart. But humor the teacher.” He said.

Peter nodded but he was far from pleased. He turned to Tony with a frown placed firmly on his face. “Promise to come over and help me with the invention?” He asked, throwing the signature Rogers puppy dog eyes. Steve had never been more proud. He had perfected the expression within four years, managing to lure people into his dastardly plans without much effort.

“How about you come over to the tower? I’m free on Wednesday. We can create beautiful things in the workshop. Plus, you could meet Dummy and the other bots. I might even let you speak to JARVIS.” Tony said, his eyes dancing with barely contained excitement.

Peter squealed, jumping forward to hug the billionaire. “I’m goin’ to be there! Uncle Bucky can take me when he goes to meet with you. Right, Uncle Bucky?” He turned to look at his uncle for approval.

Bucky nodded. “Alright, you can go with me. But there’ll be no creatin’ until your homework’s done.” He said.

“I can help you out with your homework. Maybe even teach you a couple of things while we’re doing that boring school stuff.” Tony added.  
Steve swore he had never seen Peter more excited. The four year old was glowing as he nodded in agreement with the genius. It was rare when someone took the time to show him new things. As hard as Steve tried, there was very little he could teach his son that he didn’t already know. Having Tony around would expand his horizons.

“Deal! Time for bed then. Goodnight!” And Peter was racing towards his bedroom, the faint sound of the door closing could be heard.

Bucky chuckled at his enthusiasm. “I bet he’s gonna try sleepin’ until Wednesday.” He said.

“Thankfully, we’ll only have to deal with his excitement for one day. Tomorrow’s Tuesday. We should be fine.” Steve said softly. “Thank you for doing this, Tony. I know you don’t have to but it means a lot that you’re taking time out of your day to help him with his science project.”

He was surprised when Tony stood from his chair and plopped down onto his lap, wrapping his arms around his neck. “I like him a lot. He reminds me of myself when I was younger. I was constantly bored because nothing was new anymore. Then I decided to give engineering a try. People like him need to be shown a million things before they find what they’re truly passionate about. Most of the time, it’s something in the field of science. I’m going to make a couple of calls, see if some of my friends could stop by the tower on Wednesday. I’d love for him to learn about the different sciences. He might just find something he really loves.” He said.

Steve could see the genuine happiness shining in those brown eyes. He could imagine what a young Tony Stark must have been like. He never believed that he was the persona he portrayed from the beginning. No, that was a mask he created and perfected over the years. Young Tony probably embodied the insecurities and sensitivity that Tony fought hard to conceal from the public. But Steve saw past the meticulously placed walls.

“You know, he doesn’t want to spend time with you because you’re giving him things. He wants to spend time with you because you’re the only one that understands him, because he likes you. I have never seen him get on with someone as quickly as he did with you. Honestly, I’m shocked.” Steve said.

Tony looked at Darcy. “What about Darcy? I’m sure he jumped on her the second he met her.” He said.

The color drained from her face. She scratched the back of her head, laughing nervously. “Oh, he jumped on me alright. I nearly lost my right hand after he sunk his teeth into it.” She winced at the memory.

“He did what?” Steve was gaping at Darcy. “Why would he do that?”

Bucky shook his head. “Stevie! It was my fault. I thought Peter was sleepin’ when Darcy came over. I thought it’d be nice to head out to the park for lunch with them. We started kissin’ and her hand went to touch my arm over ‘ere.” He placed it on the stump. “Peter came out, saw that and freaked. He thought she was tryin’ to hurt me. So he bit ‘er. He was only tryin’ to protect me. I told him what he did was wrong. He’s been spoken to about it.” Bucky explained.

Steve rubbed his temples. He needed to have a conversation with Peter about how violence was not the answer to anything. The last thing he needed was Peter attacking someone on the street because he thought they were going to hurt one of them. That would lead to a million other issues, quite possibly lawsuits. He cringed and leaned forward, pressing his forehead against Tony’s collarbone.

“He’s going to be the death of me.” He groaned.

Tony started running his fingers through his hair. “And what a sweet death that would be.” He hummed.

Bucky decided to speak about what had happened earlier. He had settled on the chair beside his best friend, Darcy seated on his lap. Both of them were watching Steve. “We need to speak about Sharon, Steve. I tried askin’ her why she was here. She kept sayin’ how she wanted to see Peter but we both know that’s bullshit.” Even her name made Steve tense. He wanted nothing more to do with that woman. Just the thought of her made him want to punch something.

"I know Sharon's related to Peggy. I gathered that much. But who is she?" Darcy had asked the question Tony wanted the answer to.

Steve exhaled heavily. "Sharon and Peggy were close. From the moment they were born until the moment Sharon got married, they were inseparable. I thought nothing could come between them. Unfortunately, Sharon married an asshole of a man. All he wanted was a trophy wife and money. That's all that mattered to him. When he met Peggy, he wanted to replace Sharon with her. Of course, Peggy refused every offer. She loved Sharon more than anything, loved her until the day she died. There was no way anyone could convince her to hurt Sharon. When Sharon found out about the proposals, she lost her mind. Her husband brainwashed her into believing that Peggy was throwing herself at him, trying to get him to cheat on her. Sharon has always been an insecure woman. She's easily manipulated. Not only that, she's always been jealous of Peggy. When we got married at City Hall, Sharon got married a month later in Hawaii. When we got the apartment, Sharon bought a multi-million dollar house. She was always trying to do better. But Peggy could have one thing she could never have and that was a child." He pulled Tony closer, needing to feel him there.

"Sharon found out that she was incapable of having children. That only made her even more jealous of Peggy. Three months after Peggy was honorably discharged from the military, she found out that her father had disappeared in Europe. No one had seen him in weeks. She was distraught. In those situations, who would you call? Your sister, of course. Sharon took their father's disappearance as an opportunity to persuade Peggy into leaving me, destroying whatever chance she had of having a child. Peggy seemed oblivious to her plans, always had been when it came to her sister, but I caught on quickly. When I told Peggy, she was horrified and confronted Sharon immediately. The confrontation ended with Sharon severing whatever ties she had with her sister and Peggy needed several stitches in her arm after she was pushed against a glass table. As you can probably tell, she's not my favorite person. She would leave messages on Peggy's phone, telling her how pathetic she was. When Peter was born, she would leave messages saying how he would grow up to be worthless like her. Even added how I was nothing but Brooklyn trash. Eventually, Peggy changed her number. I haven't heard from her since then. Haven't seen her in six years." He closed his eyes. 

"Everyone has their kryptonite. Sharon was hers." He said.

Bucky growled lowly. "Why the hell's she comin' around now?" He wondered.

Whatever she wanted, Steve had a feeling it was nothing good.


	11. Chapter 11

Friday evening found Steve panting beneath a smirking Tony, attempting to create some friction between them. During the following activities, Tony managed to find the answer to the question he asked when he first met the blonde and his blush definitely went all the way down. He peppered the pliant body beneath him with light kisses, his hands unable to part from him.

“I want your body to remember only me.” He breathed. “I want you to think of only me.” He sucked a mark onto his hip, drawing a breathless moan from the man. “I want you to love only me.” He would have never thought he could become desperate to the point where he would do anything to guarantee something. But there he was, wanting to condition the body beneath him to respond only to him.

Steve watched him move across his body, smiling through the post-orgasmic haze. “Only you.” He said softly, opening his arms for the brunette. He hummed happily when Tony settled into the embrace, holding him close. He had never been with a man before and had known only how to please one woman. Sleeping with the infamous playboy made his nerves spike. Would he be able to compete with the numerous other lovers Tony had been with? Halfway through, Tony managed to convince him that he craved Steve like his lungs craved oxygen.

Rough hands ran along his sides. He arched into the touch, mumbling something about apple pie as Tony continued to worship his body. His arms fell against the bed, freeing Tony from the hold and allowing him to crawl back down his body. He was fascinated by his hips. It was something that confused both him and Steve but neither of them questioned it. He enjoyed sinking his teeth into him, worrying the flesh between his teeth. Steve enjoyed the sharp pain and the gentle kiss that followed after.

What made Tony an extraordinary lover was how he managed to take people out of their heads. Though pleasure was an important component of love making, it was not the only component. He relied heavily on intimacy. He erased whatever thoughts were rushing through their minds, overwhelming them with pure emotion. By the time orgasm came around, Tony made sure that his lovers were completely exposed and vulnerable. He wanted them to be open when the orgasm hit. So he spent hours upon hours working them, lavishing each and every single erogenous zones with his undivided attention. Steve swore Tony could drive the sanest man insane with his tongue.

Everything was Tony Tony Tony. How could Steve think about anything else? He had spent hours underneath him, writhing in pleasure and loose against the sheets. His body wanted more and Tony had no problem with providing. Neither of them were rushing to finish. Steve was spending the night with Tony, having been forced by Bucky and Darcy to spend some sexy time with Tony. Peter was spending the weekend with them while the couple spent some much needed time together. 

“Kiss me, please.” Steve breathed.

In seconds, a tongue was sliding along his lower lip. A silent request for permission. Steve opened his mouth, moaning as said tongue started to massage his won. Kisses between them were never a fight for dominance. No, Steve thought kissing between them was more of a dance. Neither of them were trying to overpower the other. They were moving together, doing whatever feels good. He ran his nails down his back, pleased when he received a breathless moan. He swallowed the sound with his mouth.

A sudden wave of pleasure swept over him. He broke the kiss with a gasp, wrapping his legs around Tony. He placed his forehead against his neck and inhaled the familiar scent of coconuts and motor oil. “Please, Tony.” He pleaded. “Please.” His voice was breathless, hoarse from spending hours tipping and falling over the edge of pleasure.

Tony pressed his mouth against the curve of his shoulder. Without warning, he sunk his teeth into the muscle there. Steve cried out, his orgasm catching him by surprise. He continued to ride out the wave of pleasure, mumbling once more about apple pie. Tony did not remove his mouth from his shoulder until he could feel Steve slump back against the pillows beneath him. He straightened himself to watch Steve work through the aftermath.

“You are the best thing to ever happen to me.” He said softly.

The confession made Steve smile, his face warm. “Really?” He asked.

Tony nodded and reached out to caress his cheek. Steve leaned into the touch, pressing his nose against the palm of his hand. “I thought I would never have someone to call my own yet here you are. I wonder what the world would think, knowing that I would happily destroy worlds if it meant I could keep you safe.” He bent forward to capture his lips in an unforgiving kiss.

A single tear escaped. He moved to place his nose against his temple, allowing the tears to come. “I hated being alone. Hated waking up and not having anything to look forward to. But now, I wake up and I look forward to seeing your face. I wake up and I look forward to spending time with Peter. I wake up and I know that I’m not alone anymore. _God_ , Steve… You make me so fucking happy.” He whispered.

Steve understood what it meant that Tony was confessing these things to him. Whatever he could reach, he kissed. Wherever he could touch, he placed his hands. Everything Tony was saying showed how desperate he had been for someone to love. Pepper was around but she was a constant reminder how how he had lost another good thing. He had his best friend, Rhodey but he was never around long enough. It was never because he didn’t want to be. Rhodey was Colonel James Rhodes. He was an important man with responsibilities. Steve was different. He was there every single day and was a reminder of how Tony managed to find one good thing that he got to keep.

He was fighting hard to keep Steve. What he had wanted to show Bucky was a prosthetic arm he had been working on. With surgery, the arm would be connected to his nervous system and it would be like having his old arm back. He spent an entire week working on the science project with Peter and helped him win first place, receiving dozens of kisses from the ecstatic four year old. Every single day, he made sure he had enough time to teach Peter at least one new thing. He wanted to be present. He needed to be different from his father. On Peter’s fifth birthday, he revealed the workshop (child proofed) that he had been working on for Peter. There were an insane amount of tears and sloppy kisses from the boy which Tony accepted with a massive grin on his face.

Everyone except for Pepper and Steve was surprised at how much Tony had changed. Though Steve never thought he changed. Instead, he believed that Tony decided to stop hiding behind the mask he wore in public. Pepper had known that Tony was a like a fountain overflowing with love. She was not surprised when she found Tony running around the tower with a giggling Peter on his shoulders. She was far from surprised when Tony volunteered to watch her twins, Mason and Grace so she could spend time with her husband, Happy.

When he asked Steve to move into the tower with him, no one was surprised. Bucky went around the apartment shouting how he was tired of the Brooklyn apartment and needed a new place to crash. But the happiest about the decision was Peter. He considered Tony his best friend and Tony even went as far as to consider Peter his best friend, too. They were inseparable. One was rarely ever seen without the other.

Tony had become the man he had always been. Minus the insecurities.

“I love you.” Those three words had never sounded sweeter than they did coming from Tony. “I love you so much.” His voice cracked.

Steve laughed breathlessly. “I love you, too, Tony.” Before he realized, he was covered in tears as well. Both of them held onto each other until sleep plagued them. The last thought racing through his mind was how lucky he was to have fallen in love with not one but two beautiful people. 


	12. Chapter 12

“Where did these come from?” Steve pressed a light kiss against the white lines decorating the thigh of his lover. A hand landed on his head, running through the blonde locks. He turned his head to the side, resting his cheek against his thigh and watched Tony contemplate how he would answer. “I was alone. No one understood me and I thought I was an outsider in my own home. So I would hurt myself, wanting to take away from my thoughts and focus on something more concrete.” He replied.

Some were more recent. Steve placed a hand against the newest ones. “What about these?” He asked, keeping his voice light.

“I’m not sure. Some people say self-harm is like smoking. It’s a hard habit to kick.” The amount of self-hatred behind those words made Steve want to shake him. He moved until he was seated on his lap. He massaged his scalp, smiling when Tony moaned in pleasure and pushed his head further into his hands. “I love you. I’m not going to make you promise not to hurt yourself again. That would be ignorant. But I would like you to come to me when you’re feeling like that. Even if you still end up hurting yourself after we speak, I promise not be upset.” He said.

He noticed that Tony had closed his eyes at some point during the conversation. “I cover them with makeup. Or at least I did when I would sleep around. Someone saw them once and freaked out. She said she never thought Tony Stark could be so…” His eyebrows furrowed. “So ugly.” Steve could see that the memory pained him. He pressed a kiss against each eye, pressing another on his forehead. Then he moved around, stretching out his left leg as best he could. A long, thick scar ran along the length of his leg from the explosion.

“I would say that to myself every day after the explosion. I thought that the scar made me weak, that it showed how badly I screwed up. But Peggy told me something that changed my mind about scars. She said that every time she looked at the scar, it reminded her that I survived and that I was here. Which is exactly how I feel whenever I look at your scars. Sweetheart, you are not ugly. You are from that. You are the most beautiful person to me and I happen to love you the way you are.” Steve said, placing a light kiss against his lips.

A broken expression made him want to travel back in time and hurt whoever thought Tony was below them. “I want to be able to promise that I’ll never do that again. I want to. So badly. I don’t want Peter to know that I’m… I’m broken.” He was becoming distressed by the entire conversation. He never wanted Peter to think that hurting himself was okay. Since Peter had moved into the tower, Tony had flushed the blades down the toilet and fought hard to avoid temptation. He even bought books on mindfulness and coping mechanisms.

“But I’m not strong enough to make that promise. Please, I can’t have Peter knowing about this. I would absolutely die if he found out. I’m trying my best to stop. I haven’t done anything in three months. Just…” He grabbed onto Steve like he was terrified he would leave. “Just don't give up on me." _I can’t handle this. I can’t handle not knowing if I’m going to come home and find you dead in the bathroom. I love you and I’ll always be here for you, but I can’t do this anymore. I’m sorry._ Not even Pepper could handle how self-destructive he was.

Steve shook his head, holding him close. “An alcoholic that tried to kill himself because he thought he was useless with a bum leg has no business judging anyone. That would make me a hypocrite. I’m not going anywhere. Nothing you can do could make me leave. Also, I’m not going to say anything to Peter. If you decide to tell him when he’s older, that’s your decision to make. But I would never force that on you.” He said.

A loud crash distracted both of them. Steve was running out of the bedroom within seconds, searching for Peter. When he entered the living room without a stitch of clothing on, he was surprised to find that Peter was being tossed around by a large blonde man with muscles that put his own to shame. Ignoring his nudity, he approached the strange man. In the blink of an eye, Steve managed to sweep his leg underneath his and sent the man falling to the ground. He kicked the nearest armchair forward, having Peter land on the cushions without being harmed. Then he had the man in a choke hold. Thor made a light sound, raising his hands to show that he meant no harm.

Another man was standing behind the blonde. He was wearing glasses, slightly hunched over with a nervous smile dancing on his lips. He was holding onto a robe which he held out for Steve. “Forgive him for being overly enthusiastic. It’s been a while since we’ve been here and he tends to get excited when meeting new people.” He said apologetically. “You must be Steve. I’m Bruce Banner, a friend of Tony.”

“Steven Rogers! I am Thor Odinson, friend of Anthony Stark.” Thor managed to choke out.

There were a million questions running through his mind. Fortunately, Tony emerged from the bedroom with an identical robe on. “Shit. Steve, Thor isn’t dangerous. He may look intimidating and generally massive, but he’s more like a huge teddy bear.” He rushed to assure his boyfriend. He knew that Steve could kill him without much effort.

Steve turned to look at Peter. “Are you okay?” He asked.

Peter was nodding before he finished the question. His hair was pointing in multiple directions from having been thrown around and then landing roughly on an armchair but he seemed alright, happy even. Steve released Thor from the choke hold and took the robe from Bruce, wincing once he heard Thor gasp for air and rubbed his throat.

“Thor! Brucie bear, I’ve missed you.” Tony exclaimed.

The blonde smiled once he spotted his dear friend. “I have missed you as well, Anthony! I believe we have made your mate uncomfortable. For that, I apologize.” Thor said, gesturing to Steve.

Tony sighed. “I’m sorry about that. I forgot that I gave them access to the penthouse. Bruce and I met a couple of years ago at some science thing. We also met Jane Foster, a fellow scientist. Through her, we became acquainted with Thor. How those two managed to even date is beyond me. But they’re good guys. I promise.” He said.

“Thor was tossin’ me around, Papa. He’s super strong like you!” Peter said from behind him, yanking on the robe.

Steve seemed uncomfortable with the current situation, an overwhelming sense of guilt from nearly killing one of Tony’s friends. “Then what was the crash?” He questioned.

Bruce pointed to something behind him and Steve turned around. He found an unusual hammer laying in the center of what used to be a glass coffee table. He never thought Tony was normal. No, that thought had never crossed his mind. But after meeting Pepper, he figured that he would be the most eccentric out of his friends. Meeting Thor changed his mind. Once the anger subsided, he gestured for Peter to rejoin Thor. Peter was excited and jumped into his massive arms, squealing as the large man tossed him around.

"I'm sorry for jumping to conclusions. I was worried that something happened to my son." Steve apologized.

Thor threw his head back and released a thunderous laugh, placing Peter on his shoulder. "Do not fret, Steven! Any friend of Anthony is a friend of mine." He boomed.

"Unfortunately, Thor has been in that situation at least five times in the last three days. People don't take kindly to big blonde beefcakes that speak like they're from the Middle Ages." Bruce hummed.

Tony snorted. "He may not look like much, but Bruce has a killer temper. Patience of a saint but once he snaps, don't get near him. He could rip you a new one." He said, wrapping an arm around Steve.

"Steven has the iron grip of a mighty warrior! I am honored to have been held by such power." Thor exclaimed.

Steve blushed furiously as Tony laughed. Steve focused on the laughter coming from Peter. He was speaking about Norse mythology, asking Thor questions about his name. "Aye. My mother and father hail from the land of Scandinavia. As I was conceived and born during thunder storms, my parents thought I should be named after the god of thunder. I also have a younger brother named Loki." Hearing of Loki only pushed more questions from the five year old.

Steve stood there for a moment before turning around and retreating to the bedroom. He heard someone following him, knowing that Tony would be hot on his heels. He went to the closet, pulling random clothing out. His face was beginning to turn various shades of red. He had ran out into the living room and stood naked in front of complete and total strangers.

“I really did forget. I’m sorry about that.” Tony apologized. “I figured I would have time before they came back. Bruce spends most of the year in India and Thor stays with Jane the majority of the time.”

Steve sighed heavily. “Does anyone else have access to the penthouse?” He asked.

“You already know that Pepper, Happy and the twins have access. Though I’m not sure the twins will be needing to access the penthouse on their own for a while. Bucky and Darcy have access. You’ve met Thor and Bruce. The only people you haven’t met that have access would be Rhodey, Natasha, Clint and Phil. But you should be meeting them within the next month. Everyone is coming home for Christmas.” He answered.

Steve leaned back until he was pressed against Tony. “Are the rest of them like Thor?” He asked.

“No, no one is like Thor. Natasha can be intimidating at first but once she is positive that you don’t have bad intentions, she should warm up to you. Clint likes to walk around with his bow. Don’t mind him. Even though it seems dangerous, it’s really not. Clint doesn't hit anything he's not aiming at. Phil is… I don’t really know how to describe him. He’s the boss, I guess. No one messes with Phil. Then there’s Rhodey but I’ve told you about him. I think you’re going to like them. I know they may not seem like the most sane people but… they’re all I’ve got. I want you to love them as much as I do.” Tony said softly.

Steve nodded slightly. “Alright, honey. I’m going to try not to freak out next time.” He said.

Tony turned him around. “I’m not blaming you for freaking out. We were relaxing in the bedroom, Peter was in the living room. Then there was a loud noise. You did what any father would have done. I freaked out before I realized that Thor and Bruce were here. JARVIS told me. Though I’m not sure why he failed to tell me before they entered the penthouse.” He waited for the AI to respond.

“ _My apologies, Sir. I will not make that mistake again._ ” JARVIS said.

Steve chuckled before grabbing onto Tony and pulling him close for a passionate kiss. Though he missed her each and every single day that passed, the pain was no longer unbearable. The entire world had changed since Peggy passed away. Once Tony was added to the mix, he felt like he stepped foot in an alternate universe. But he wouldn’t change anything. Not even if he had the chance.


	13. Chapter 13

The entire penthouse was deserted except for Steve. Thor had gone to the supermarket, wanting to stock the kitchen with Pop-Tarts, and the others went to the workshop to do science. For the last twenty minutes, he had been staring at the notebook on the desk in the library. His fingers were itching to draw something, anything. But there was an inescapable fear weighing him down. Since losing Peggy, he lost whatever motivation he had to draw. The one thing he had been passionate about died along with his wife.

He wanted to draw the scenes that were playing through his mind. More importantly, he wanted to recreate the expressions his loved ones made. Like how Bucky fought back tears when he wore the prosthetic for the first time and how Peter lit up like the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree when Tony revealed the workshop to him. He wanted to draw out on paper what Tony looked like when Peter said he loved him. Each time, it was the same. He would smile wider than anyone had ever seen, holding Peter close and whispering that he loved him too.

He placed a hand against the notebook. It was nothing special. Peter had bought one notebook too many when he went school shopping. But there was something about the notebook that made Steve want to draw. Before he could decide to turn away from the desk, he took the notebook and grabbed whatever pencils he could find before going to the living room. He settled onto the couch, placing the notebook against his knees and started drawing whatever crossed his mind. His hand moved furiously over the pages. Whenever Steve started drawing, he would lose track of time and continue drawing until he exhausted the fodder within his mind.

While Tony was surprised to find Steve lost in the notebook, Peter seemed unaffected. He went to the kitchen and grabbed a water bottle, taking the bottle to his father. Steve blinked several times when something obstructed his view of the drawing. Then he raised his head to find Peter smiling at him, shaking the bottle a couple of times. “Time for dinner, Papa.” He said.

“I must have lost track of time. I can make something quick. Let me-“ But he was pushed further against the couch by Peter. “Bruce is makin’ dinner. He promised that he’d make his famous spicy curry!” Peter said.

Steve turned his head to find Tony watching him with an expression he had never seen before. “You like to draw?” The brunette asked, glancing at the notebook discarded on the couch. “I spent most of my childhood drawing. Just something I liked to do.” Steve said nonchalantly, smiling as Peter crawled onto his lap and started flipping through the pages he managed to cover with drawings of them.

“I never knew.” Tony said. There was something that Steve decided he did not like about his face and held out a hand for Tony to take. Once the genius accepted the hand, he was yanked onto the couch beside father and son. “I haven’t drawn since Peggy died. So there was no way you could have known.” Steve pressed a kiss against his temple.

Awe overcame the mysterious expression he had been wearing. He examined the drawings along with Peter, both of them making soft sounds of approval. When Peter came across a drawing of himself, he squealed. “Tony! Look, that’s me!” He exclaimed.

“Why are you wasting time being my personal assistant? You could have been making money with just sketches. Think about how much you could make doing something like paintings or something like that.” Tony tore his eyes from the notebook to raise an eyebrow at his boyfriend.

Steve nudged his head with his own. “I’m not wasting my time. As much as I would love to dedicate my time to drawing, that’s not realistic. Making money as an artist is not as easy as you think.” He said.

“Honey, you happen to be dating one of the most important men in the world. I could speak with a couple of people and-“ Steve covered his mouth. “I appreciate that. I do, Tony. But if I make anything from drawing, I want to make it by myself. I don’t want to be the person that only got noticed because he’s dating Tony Stark. Which is not a bad thing. I’m saying that I want to be noticed for my talent, not my boyfriend. Do you understand?”

He watched as Tony nodded his head, watching Steve with narrowed eyes. Steve removed his hand and was given a kiss. “Fine but I’m making you an art room and there’s nothing you can do about it. I’m going to make the best art room anyone has ever seen! Of course, it can only be the best if Peter helps me out. Right, Pete?” Tony said. Peter kissed his father on the cheek. “Right!” He chimed.

“ _Doctor Banner has finished dinner and would like everyone to gather in the dining room._ ” JARVIS informed them.

Steve stood from the couch, holding Peter against his chest. “I’m not sure how much I like you two teaming up against me.” He watched the brunettes share a devilish look, snickering as they went to the dining room.

Even though the food was extremely hot, it was delicious. Peter seemed to have no problem with shoveling the spicy curry into his mouth. But Steve and Tony were swallowing glasses of water, unable to handle the heat without something to soothe the burn. Bruce applauded Peter for not needing to inhale water like the others which made Peter beam with pride. Thor joined them at some point during the meal. Not even he could handle the heat. Bruce and Peter shared a laugh at their expense.

Around six o’clock, JARVIS informed them that Bucky heading towards the penthouse and that he seemed distraught. Steve hovered around the elevator as he waited for his best friend to appear. There had been a couple of times that he had seen Bucky enraged. But he had never seen him angry to the point he feared he would kill someone. He was shoved to the side and stormed down the hallway.

For the first time, he ignored Peter calling out to him. He walked right past the couch and turned the television on. Steve entered the living room to see what was going on. Then the color drained from his face. 

" _Billionaire Tony Stark has been caught with his hand in the cookie jar. A sex tape was leaked onto the internet only a few short hours ago, showing a rather intoxicated Tony Stark in bed with a mysterious blonde._ " Peter was taken from the living room by Thor. " _Recently, Mr. Stark has been tied to his personal assistant, Steve Rogers. But it seems that not even he can keep the attention of a man like Stark for long. Nothing can be said about the woman in the video. Don't give up yet! We are looking for the lucky woman that got the chance to ride the Stark pony._ " One of the more tasteful clips was shown.

Tears blurred his vision. Steve ran a hand over his face, breathing in deeply. " _I wonder how Stark will handle having his secret affair exposed to the public! Was his personal assistant aware of it or was he just another victim in the Stark game? Stay tune for more._ " He turned the television off, unable to listen to more.

"I would never cheat on you. I promise that I am being framed here." Tony moved around to look at his boyfriend. "I love you so much. I would never jeopardize what we have together. I love you, I love Peter. I would never hurt either of you like this." Phones started ringing around them. But Tony remained focused on Steve.

"I want to know what happened." Steve took a step back. "Just tell me the truth. I promise..." His voice cracked. "I promise not to be upset."

Tony reached out and took one of his hands. "I swear that I would never want to make love to anyone else. I love you, Steve." He said, pleading with his boyfriend to understand.

A sob ripped free from Steve's throat. Tony yanked his boyfriend, holding him as he sobbed. Just thinking about Tony being with anyone else broke his heart. Steve pushed him away, turning to the side to wipe the tears from his face. His hands were shaking. "Promise." He looked at him from the side of his eye. "I'm not going to have my son around someone that's not one hundred percent invested in us. So promise, Tony."

"I promise, sweetheart." Tony whispered.

Bucky put himself between them, glaring holes through Tony's head. "I told you what would happen if you hurt 'im, Stark. Like 'm gonna let you fuck with 'im!" He snarled.

" _If I may interrupt. I have information that will change your mind after Sir._ " JARVIS announced. " _I have been running the footage through my database. The time in which the video was recorded was exactly two years before Sir met Steve._ " He provided whatever evidence he managed to get a hold of, proving that his creator was innocent.

The genius moved around Bucky to embrace Steve once more. "I love you more than anything, Steve. You know that, right?" He said softly. 

"Of course I do. I trust you, Tony. I just... I don't want to see you having..." Steve gestured to the television, not bothering to finish his sentence.

Tony nodded in understanding. "I know, sweetheart. I'm sorry about that. I don't even remember that." He said.

"That doesn't exactly explain why the video decides to leak _now_." Bucky mentioned.

JARVIS interrupted once more. " _I may be able to explain that as well, Mr. Barnes. The woman in question is none other than Sharon Carter. I believe the video was leaked to the media due to her disdain for Steve._ " He said.

Steve could not believe what he was hearing. "You _slept_ with _Sharon_?!" He shouted, shoving Tony away from him. "I can't believe this. Tony, why would you... FUCK!" He slammed his fist against the wall, ignoring how his hand went right through. "There are billions of people in the world. BILLIONS! Yet you choose to SLEEP. WITH. HER?!" He could barely contain his rage.

"Honey, I need you to remember that I had _no idea_ who she was. I didn't even know who _you_ were. I was drunk, she was there. Of course I regret ever laying down with her but I genuinely had no clue she was psychotic." Tony rushed to explain to Steve, not wanting to lose him.

Bucky intervened. "Stevie, I need you to breathe. Come on." He rubbed his back.

Steve was wheezing. He bent forward, struggling to breathe. "Sorry... I-I know it's not your fault... I just..." He waved his hand around, unable to speak further.

Tony went to retrieve his inhaler. Yet again, he was there helping Steve breathe through the asthma attack and impending anxiety attack. Steve slumped against him, exhausted. "I love you..." He mumbled against his chest. "I'm sorry..."

"You found out your boyfriend slept with your nemesis. I think you have a right to be upset." Tony said. "But I love you too." He kissed the top of his head.

Bruce handed Steve a bottle of water. "For what it's worth, I know Tony well enough to know that he would never cheat on anyone. He may be a lot of things but a cheater isn't one of them." He offered.

Steve accepted the water bottle with a guilty smile. "I'm sorry. You keep seeing the worst of me... You must think I'm insane." He said sheepishly.

"No, I think you're human. I also happen to think that you're a good man. Knowing Peter only proves that." Bruce shrugged. "Everyone loses their temper. I've been arrested a couple of times for losing my temper. It happens to the best of us." He spoke as though it was the simplest thing in the world.

Steve laughed breathlessly against Tony. "I guess you're right." He agreed.

"We have to figure out what to do with Sharon." Bucky reminded them.

Steve shivered, wanting nothing more than to erase Sharon from the universe. But Bucky was right. They needed to find out how to deal with Sharon before she ruined what little happiness they had managed to find. He was prepared to fight like hell to keep his family together.


	14. Chapter 14

Even though JARVIS cleared whatever doubt Steve had, there was nothing he could do to erase the footage from his mind. He could remember how Sharon writhed beneath Tony. Despite how much he had drank, Tony worshiped her body like she was the most precious thing in the world. Like how he did whenever he laid with Steve. He pinched the bridge of his nose. He could hear the sounds she made, the sounds Tony made. He wanted to drink everything in the bar. He needed to forget for a while, needed to feel something other than pain.

“Please.” The couple had retreated to the bedroom once the entire situation was over and Peter had gone to sleep. Steve laid against the mountain of pillows, reaching out for Tony. His face was flushed and there was an unmistakable sorrow flooding his blue eyes. “I need to feel you.” He breathed.

He noticed the hesitation. “Do you not want to…?” Insecurities came rushing back. He should have known that Tony would not want to sleep with him. Not that he was good at love making. With each passing second, he became more and more distraught. But he was taken from his thoughts by a light kiss against his lips. A kiss light yet intimate, making him groan in response.

“Honey, I always want you. But I need to know why you want to make love right now.” Tony placed a hand against his chest. “I need you to be one hundred percent honest with me. Are you doubting my feelings for you?”

Tears started falling before Steve could swallow them down. He attempted to hide them but was rooted into place by his boyfriend. He understood that the footage had been recorded before they were introduced to each other. But how could he drown the sounds out of his head? He had never doubted that Tony loved him. For some reason, the need to reassure himself that Tony was there had become overwhelming.

“I know you love me. I have never doubted that. But I hate that she touched you. I hate anyone that has ever touched you. Even Pepper.” He leaned forward to press a light kiss against his neck, peppering multiple along the space. “I want you to belong only to me. I don’t want anyone else to hear the sounds you make when we make love. I don’t want anyone to know how you become pliant after falling head first into pleasure.” Steve flipped them, hovering over his brunette lover. “You’re mine, Anthony Edward Stark. I am never going to let anyone take you from me.”

Tony cried out when he felt teeth sink into his shoulder. He bucked forward, wanting to get closer to Steve. “I am going to burn the memory of my love into your skin. I want my love to cut deep enough to scar so that you can never forget me.” Steve breathed. “Even if you wanted to leave, I am going to make sure that you never could. Because only my love, my touch, my lips can make you feel like this.” He ground against the hips bucking beneath him, drawing another cry out from Tony.

“You already ruined me for everyone.” Tony whispered. “I can never love anyone the way I love you.” The couple crashed together, falling forward into a night of passion.

The following morning, the cold winter made its way into the tower. Steve shivered underneath the sheets and attempted to move closer to Tony, wanting to share body heat with the smaller man. He pressed his nose against the base of his neck. What he did not expect was Tony to shoot out of the bed, squirming around the room as he squeaked about how cold it was.

“What are you, a snowman?! Fuck. Your nose is cold.” Tony complained, rubbing his neck.

But the complaints were lost on Steve. He was captivated by the body standing before him. Evidence of the night before covered his entire body. Love marks covering his neck and chest while bruises wrapped around his hips and thighs. A hand grabbed his chin, turning his attention to the smirking brunette. “You love covering me with these marks, showing the entire world just who I belong to.” Tony purred, sliding onto his lap.

Before Steve could respond, there was a light knock that brought their attention to the door. “Papa?” It was Peter. The blonde gestured to the bathroom and watched as Tony disappeared behind the door with a change of clothes. Steve opened the door once he had pulled on the closest pair of sweats.

Something was wrong. Peter was breathing strangely. He was scooped up immediately, carried over to the bed. His face was flushed and there was a fresh sheen of sweat on his body. “What hurts?” Steve demanded, guiding him to rest against the pillows. He thanked the heavens that both of them had a habit of changing the sheets after love making. That would have been a conversation that he would rather not have.

“Everythin’…” Peter mumbled, reaching out for his father.

Steve noted whatever he could see. It was obvious that he had a fever with how flushed and sweaty he was. He was trembling which meant he had chills. Then he coughed and Steve noted that as well. The lights were making him groan so Steve ordered JARVIS to dim the lights. “I’m going to find some medicine, okay?” He said softly.

“No… Papa, stay.” Peter whined, his eyes swimming with tears.

He never whined or complained. There were times when he would and that was when he was sick. But he had never been the type to shed tears. Steve knew he must have been feeling horrible to be on the verge of tears. Steve ran a hand over his cheek, frowning as Peter pressed his face in search of warmth. “I’ll be right back. But you need medicine to feel better. Then I can make you some chicken soup and we can watch movies today, alright?” Peter seemed to have accepted that his father would need to leave for a moment because he nodded his head and attempted to burrow deeper into the bed.

Steve went to the bathroom. “Peter is sick.” He informed his boyfriend, rummaging through the cabinet for Tylenol and a thermometer. There was a loud bang from the shower and he could hear Tony scrambling around, turning the water off. “What?!” He choked out, peeking his head around the shower door.

“Sweetheart, children get sick. I’m going to take his temperature and give him some Tylenol.” Steve said, smiling softly as his worried boyfriend. But the words did nothing to placate the man. He jumped out of the shower and yanked the towel from the wall, attempting to speed through drying himself. “I can make him soup? That’s what people have when they’re sick, right? JARVIS! I need the best recipe for soup and-“ He was stopped by a kiss. “Honey, how about you lay down with him and watch a movie? He’ll probably end up falling asleep halfway through it. I’ll deal with the soup, okay?” Steve had found the Tylenol and thermometer. He waited for Tony to nod in agreement before leaving the bathroom.

He went over to the bed where Peter was laying. “I need to take your temperature, honey boy.” He said softly, turning his head to the side. Peter opened his mouth as best he could to accept the thermometer, whining around the device. The thermometer showed that his temperature on 101.4. Not the best but not necessarily dangerous. Steve gave him some Tylenol, turning to face Tony when he emerged from the bathroom wearing a sweater and some pajama pants.

“I’m going to head to the kitchen and start making some soup for everyone. Would you mind staying with him?” Steve turned to face Peter. “You’re always saying how you want Tony to watch Wall-E with you. How about you guys watch that?” He whispered, brushing a few loose strands behind his ear.

Peter nodded weakly, reaching out for Tony. Tony did not waste a second. He crawled onto the bed and maneuvered them so that Peter was resting on his chest with his head on his shoulder. JARVIS turned the television on and played Wall-E. Peter was breathing lightly against his neck, coughing occasionally. Though he was beyond worried about him, Tony thought he was handling the situation better than he believed he would.

But the pride soon turned into fear when Peter started convulsing. “JARVIS! Get Steve.” Tony shouted. He moved from the bed and placed Peter on the ground, turning him onto his side. He went through whatever information he had about seizures in his head. It was most likely a febrile seizure, triggered by the fever. It was common for young children. Tears were blurring his vision when Steve rushed into the bedroom, nearly ripping the door off its hinges.

“Peter!” He cried out, running to his son.

When he reached out grab onto him, he was stopped by Tony. “Never hold someone when they’re having a seizure. As hard as it is, we need to wait it out. Is this the first time he’s had a seizure?” Though Tony was freaking out on the inside, he needed to make sure that Peter would be okay. “H-he’s never had a s-seizure before.” Steve twitched as he spoke, wanting to hold onto his son. But he understood that Peter could hurt himself if he was restrained. He ran a hand over his face, whimpering.

Within five minutes, the convulsions had come to a stop. Peter appeared confused and was fighting to keep his eyes open. “We need to take him to the hospital. It could be nothing but since it’s the first time this has happened, we should check and make sure everything is okay.” Tony said.

Hospitals had become a trigger for Steve. The last time he stepped into a hospital, he left without a wife. He paced around the room as the doctor went through checking Peter out. Steve tried to answer whatever questions the doctor had for him but he was fighting the anxiety attack that was threatening to take over. So Tony communicated with the doctor, answering everything and only including Steve when there was something he did not know. Eventually, the doctor decided that it was a febrile seizure. He explained that young children were most likely to experience a febrile seizure which was triggered by fevers caused by common illnesses such as the flu which Peter had. Steve was beyond grateful that Peter would be alright once the flu went away.

Once the couple returned home, Steve refused to release Peter. He held him against his chest and whispered reassurances into his ear. Tony assumed that he was repeating how much he loved him because Peter would smile as best he could and whisper that he loved him too. Steve had never finished cooking the soup so Tony went down to the kitchen where he discovered Bruce pouring chicken soup into three bowls. Bruce smiled at his friend, beckoning him closer.

“What did the doctor say?” He asked, placing the bowls on a tray.

Tony sighed heavily. “It was a febrile seizure. He should be alright.” He answered.

“I can check on him tomorrow morning, make sure everything is okay.” Bruce offered.

Tony nodded, looking at his friend with a grateful smile. “That would be great. Thank you for this, by the way. Steve was cooking but…” He trailed off, not needing to continue.

“Listen, Peter is someone very important to you. Steve is also someone very important to you. That makes them important to me and the others. We’re a family, Tony. I’m not going anywhere for a while. India has seen enough of my face and I think Manhattan missed me while I was gone.” When Tony and Bruce met, neither of them were trusting of others. They shared similar experiences with being stabbed in the back, something neither were rushing to repeat. But over time, they became close and both considered the other a brother. He was the calming presence needed in Tony’s life.

After the conversation, Tony went to the bedroom carrying the soup. He entered to find Peter was more awake than he had been before. Once he spotted Tony, he reached out for him. “One second, buddy. Let me put the tray down.” He said, positioning the tray in a way that would prevent accidental spills.

Peter escaped from the embrace his father had trapped him in. He found a comfortable place on Tony’s lap and leaned back against his chest. “How are you feeling?” Tony asked.

“Body hurts… but not like this mornin’.” His voice was quiet. “Papa says I had a seizure.” He turned his head to look at Tony, the question clear in his blue eyes.

Tony nodded. “You did. Do you remember that?” He asked, spooning some soup into Peter’s mouth. Peter shook his head. He was obviously frustrated that he could not remember the seizure but he assumed that no one would want to remember something like that anyway. Silence swept throughout the room. The only sounds that could be heard were the spoons clinking against the bowls.

Then Peter opened his mouth. “Can I call you Daddy?” He asked.

He winced when Tony nearly swallowed the spoon that had been in his mouth. Even Steve coughed out of shock. Both men looked at the five year old boy, searching for some uncertainty burning in his eyes. Yet there was nothing there. He seemed to genuinely want Tony to be his father like Steve was. He was not looking to replace Steve but to add someone to their family.

“Is that what you want?” Tony had never spoken so softly in his life. Sure, there had been times when he watched his volume but he had never considered his tone light. It had always been anything but. Peter had a way of invoking the strangest things in people.

Peter nodded. “I do…” He whispered.

“I would love nothing more than to be that someone to you.” Tony said.

He gasped when Peter turned around to hug him. He could feel tears falling on his shoulder but there was no way he could judge him when he had matching tears. He buried his face in his brown hair, inhaling the sweet scent of honey it emitted.

They were surprised when Peter demanded that he spend the night in his bed. He promised that he would wake them up if something happened but wanted to be surrounded by his stuffed animals. Steve wasn’t overly enthusiastic about the idea but he had never been able to deny Peter independence (within reason). He went along with the plan when Tony assured him that JARVIS would alert them if anything happened.

Steve immediately found solace in the arms of his boyfriend, wanting to sink deep into his body and never leave the safe space. Tony massaged his scalp and hummed under his breath. “You’re really here to stay.” Steve whispered. “I feel like I’m dreaming. There’s no way someone like you could exist.” He hummed happily when he felt lips press against his forehead. “I’m not going anywhere. I want to have this with you, Steve. I love you and I will continue telling you that for the rest of my life.” Tony murmured.

And he would. He wanted Steve forever. He supposed he would have to get to work on sealing the deal. 


	15. Chapter 15

“I am trusting you with the lives of my children. I want them at least alive when I come back. Is that understood?” Business men and women around the world did not fear the mighty Pepper Potts without reason. She was intimidating when she wanted to be and even Tony quivered under her intense gaze. He nodded in agreement. He may spend a decent amount of time avoiding responsibility but he loved his niece and nephew an insane amount and would do whatever he needed to do to keep them safe.

The woman smiled. “I trust you. I’m not worried but I have to threaten you. Said so in the baby manual.” She said before turning her attention to the sleeping babies. She bent down to press light kisses against their heads, whispering how much she loved them and that she would be back soon. Standing beside her was Happy. He was beaming at his former employer, extending his hand to shake Tony’s hand. “Thank you for watching them, Tony.” He said.

Tony shook his hand. “No need. You and Pepper basically babysat me for over a decade. The least I can do is return the favor.” The three of them shared a laugh. But there was an underlying seriousness about his statement. He was genuinely thankful that they stuck around and helped him through some of the most difficult times in his life. Not many people could.

“Grace and Mason are spendin’ the day here?” Eyes focused on the curious five year old standing in the hallway, approaching the carriage with wonder dancing in his eyes. A blind man could see how much Peter adored the babies. One of the things he asked for every Christmas was a brother or sister. He never doubted that he would have been able to have one if his mother had not passed away. But that was in the past and he had two adorable babies to love.

Pepper went over to embrace Peter. “They are going to spend the weekend with you guys. Could you make sure your father doesn’t sit on them by accident?” She asked, pointing towards Tony.

The billionaire made a strangled sound before whining about how he would never squish them. Peter laughed and leaned against Pepper, nodding. “I have to keep ‘em safe because they’re babies. Gotta keep family safe!” He exclaimed. “Be careful on your trip, Auntie Pepper. Promise?” For some reason, Peter had become obsessed with making his loved ones promise to be safe. No matter how long they would be gone, they had to promise or he would refuse to let them leave.

“I promise, sweetheart.” Pepper could not believe how important Peter and Steve had become to her. She figured that Steve would become the missing piece in the Tony Stark puzzle but never did she believe that they would become permanent members in the family. She was shocked when Peter started thinking she was his aunt. Not that she minded. No, she adored him and loved him as a mother would love a child. She kissed his cheek before standing.

He seemed anxious about them leaving for longer than a couple of hours but he swallowed the bubbling worries down and focused his attention on the sleeping babies. Tony placed a hand on his head, comforting him as best he could. The couple said goodbye once more before disappearing into the elevator. He glanced down to notice that Peter was watching the doors, chewing nervously on his bottom lip.

Everyone was worried about him. For the past two weeks, he had been acting strange. He had been having unbearable nightmares, screaming in the middle of the night, but would never mention what the nightmares were about. He would decide to crawl between his fathers and fight the monsters away with the warmth both of them radiated. He would sleep for another three hours before waking up. The lack of proper rest was effecting his appetite. He would pick on whatever was on his plate before pushing it aside and leaving the dining room. Though he laughed and played with whoever was around, he would lose himself in his thoughts and stop doing whatever he was doing as he was lost in thought.

Steve was positive that he was suffering with anxiety and depression. When he returned from his last tour, he went through the same thing. The nightmares would wake him in the middle of the night, the lack of sleep would effect his appetite, he would lose himself in whatever thoughts were clouding his mind. The realization made him even more worried. Speaking with people eased his pain so he tried to speak with Peter about whatever was on his mind. But Peter would never say anything. Steve was far from surprised. Peter would keep his mouth shut if he was sure that whatever he said would make his father sad.

“How about you take the twins to the living room? I think your father is in there.” Tony said to Peter.

The five year old smiled at him before pushing the carriage down the hall and into the living room. Tony moved into the kitchen with the baby bag Pepper had brought and went through whatever bottles were inside, placing them in the fridge. He thought about the shadows underneath once vibrant blue eyes. There was nothing he despised more than being faced with a problem he couldn’t fix. He was an engineer, a mechanic. His main purpose in life was to fix things. Yet he was stumped when it came to dealing with Peter. He could handle a broken bone but how could he handle a broken heart?

He took two bottles from the fridge, walking into the living room. The babies had woken once Peter pushed them into the living room and were giggling as Thor made faces at them. He had always been a children’s favorite. Peter was jumping around Thor, making odd sounds that only made the babies laugh harder. He would never understand the thought process of babies.

Tony sat down beside Steve on the couch. The blonde had been drawing in a notebook but he was focused on Peter, watching him interact with the others. Tony laid his head on his shoulder, humming when Steve rested his cheek on his head. “I want him to be happy.” Steve whispered. “There was only one thing Peggy and I wanted for Peter. We wanted him to be happy no matter what.”

“These nightmares hold the key to whatever is making him like this. The only way to figure out what’s going on is by finding out what the nightmares are about. Maybe it would help if he saw a therapist. Even if it’s only one session. He might be more comfortable talking to an unbiased party.” Tony whispered back.

It was the fourth time Tony mentioned a therapist. Each time, Steve shot him down. “I’m not comfortable with having some person judge my child.” Steve said every single time. As hard as Tony tried to explain that there were amazing therapist out there, some that he knew personally, Steve would turn his head and ignore him.

Before Tony could push the suggestion, Grace made a loud whining sound and started to make “unhappy baby sounds”. Tony moved from the couch, bringing a bottle with him as he approached the carriage. He bent down to remove Grace from the carriage. His expression softened once he had the baby in his hands. “Hi, pretty girl. How’s my princess doing?” He cooed. Grace reached for the bottle and hummed happily once she started drinking the milk. Tony was convinced that she was a mutant with the ability to grow hair at an abnormal rate. Every time he saw her, her brown hair was grown longer. He was positive she would be able to wrap her hair around his waist by her first birthday.

“Peter?” He was distracted by Steve calling out to their son. Peter was watching Grace with a blank expression, one that meant he had retreated into his head. He noticed that he would check out whenever the twins were around. Since they had been coming around more recently, he was blanking out more often.

Steve moved to crouch before Peter, grabbing onto his hands. “Sweetheart, talk to me.” He pleaded.

Touch seemed to bring him back. Peter shook his head, attempting to shake the thoughts from his mind. “I’m okay, Papa.” There was something in his voice that made them uncomfortable. Like he was swallowing down an insane amount of pain. “I need you to promise that you’ll come to me if there’s anything bothering you.” Steve said.

Peter decided not to respond. He removed his hands from the tight hold and went to his bedroom, closing the door behind him. The couple stared in the direction he had went in. “Young Peter carries a heavy burden. One far too great for a lone man to carry. You mentioned that he has been suffering from nightmares, correct?” Neither of them were expecting Thor to speak about the subject but nodded anyway. “My brother once suffered the same. It is not sorrow that torments your son but rather fear.” There was an intense sorrow as Thor spoke.

“Fear? But what could Peter possibly be scared of?” Steve questioned, running a hand through his hair.

Then everything clicked. Tony thought about how Peter had been acting the last two weeks. After the nightmares, he refused to be anywhere other than between his fathers. When someone was leaving, he would make them promise to be safe. He had become cautious especially when interacting with the babies, treating them as though they were glass. It made sense and Tony cursed himself for not realizing what the problem was sooner. It was obvious yet both of them had missed it.

“He’s scared of losing someone.” He breathed. “The nightmares have to be about losing someone.”

Thor opened his arms to take Grace from him. “Go be with Peter. He must know that he is not alone.” He said.

The couple thanked the blonde before heading towards his bedroom. The amount of pain Peter must have been in for the last two weeks should have been unbearable yet he pushed through. But it was never for him, it was always for them. He thought he needed to be strong for his father. _I don’t have many people in my life. I have Papa, Uncle Bucky and Darcy. So I need you to understand that I need to protect ‘em with everythin’ I’ve got._ He had been carrying a heavy burden since his mother died.

Steve opened the bedroom door. Peter was holding a picture of his mother. “Momma was strong. But she still needed someone to protect her. That’s why you and I were there. To keep her safe. And you needed someone, too. So Momma and I were there. But I couldn’t keep you guys safe. You got hurt and Momma… Momma died. I want to be stronger so I can keep everyone safe. But our family keeps growin’ and…” He gave up on wiping the tears away. “I-I don’t think I can protect everyone, Papa and that scares me.” He confessed.

Steve went over to his son, pulling him into his arms. “Peter, you don’t have to protect everyone. I know you’re scared that someone is going to get hurt. Honey, I’m scared too. But sometimes things happen and there’s nothing we can do about it. Your mother doesn’t blame you for what happened just like she doesn’t blame me. She knows, and I know, that things happen out of nowhere. It’s _my_ job to keep _you_ safe.” He said, pressing a kiss to his head.

“ _Our_ job.” Tony corrected, sitting on the bed. “You haven’t had a chance to cry since your mother died, have you? You’ve been too busy trying to protect your father. I know you hate when your father is sad, even more so when you indirectly cause it, but he only gets like that because of how much he loves you. The last two weeks have been torture for the both of us. We want to help you, give you what you need. We can’t be happy unless you’re happy. I know you want to cry. I’m here to tell you that it’s okay! I cry all the time. Just ask your father. I’m like a newborn baby sometimes and you _know_ how much they cry.” He smiled when he got a laugh out of Peter. “Can I ask you something?” He reached out, placing a hand on his knee.

Peter nodded his head. “What about the twins makes you…” Tony made a gesture that explained the going inside his head.

He was surprised when Peter handed the picture of his mother over to him. “Grace looks like Momma.” He answered. When he looked closer to examine the photograph, Tony realized that Grace shared several shocking similarities to Peggy. The chocolate brown eyes and auburn hair were obvious but there was something about the intensity burning behind the eyes.

“I miss Momma… Darcy reminds me of her sometimes. I like that. It’s like she’s still here.” Peter continued. “I know Momma’s gone. But she’s still here in some ways, right? Like when we read books and you do the voices, it’s like we are readin’ with Momma. She used to do the voices, too! I just… it’s not fair that I had to lose Momma to get Daddy. Why can’t I have both?” He reached out for Tony, being happily taken by the brunette.

Unknowingly, Peter had answered a question that had been haunting Tony for months. He wondered what would happen if they had the chance to get Peggy back. Of course he knows that they would want Peggy back but would he be cast aside so they could return to being a happy family? Before he realized what was happening, he was crying and Peter soon joined him. Steve pulled both his boys into his arms, rubbing their backs and whispering soothing words into their ears.

The crying session ended after fifteen minutes. " _Sir, pardon my interruption but Miss Romanov and Master Barton have_ arrived." JARVIS announced. The three of them went into the living room where they found an intimidating redhead having a staring contest with Grace. The miniature brunette was not afraid and continued glaring holes through her head. Mason was babbling beside his sister, waving his hands around to get the attention of the woman.

“Stark! Who’d you knock up?” Another brunette entered the living room with a massive smile on his face and a bow at his side.

Tony smirked. “First, I don’t want to have that kind of conversation around the tiny people in the room. Second, those are the Potts Minions. And third, what are you doing here? Does no one use the phone anymore? This is the second time I’ve come into the living room to find unannounced guests.” He said.

Thor appeared behind the archer and threw an arm around him. “Clinton and Natasha have decided to grace the tower with their presence for the holidays! What an exciting time this Christmas shall be.” He boomed, laughing loudly.

Realization crossed Steve’s face. He was meeting more important people. “We haven’t had the chance to meet. I’m Steve and this is Peter.” He said.

“Don’t be polite to Clint. He doesn’t deserve your kindness. But please, shower Natasha with nothing other than your love.” Tony interjected.

Clint glared at him.”This is what I get after saving your as-“ Peter cut in. “Asparagus!” He shouted over the curse.

Tony started snickering, picking Peter up. “Yes, Clint. You did save my asparagus. But meet my fabulous son! The genius Peter Parker Rogers.” He exclaimed, bouncing Peter around and laughing maniacally. His laughter became genuine when Peter started giggling and tried to imitate the maniacal laughter. The newest inhabitants (or the most recently arrived) watched the billionaire for several minutes. The sight was something neither of them thought they would ever see. Tony had been anti-children before. Yet there he was, laughing with a five year old child and loving every second of it.

Steve leaned forward to kiss Peter on the cheek. “Quite the genius.” He hummed.

“Have I stepped into an alternate universe? Tasha! What happened? I’m confused!” Clint rushed over to the woman, Natasha. “Did we step on some portal or something? Maybe walk through one? There is no way Stark has a child. Come on, Tasha.” But the complaints were quickly silenced by Peter.

The boy was glaring at Clint. “Daddy’s the best daddy in the world. Don’t talk bad about him or you’re gonna have to deal with me.” He growled.

Steve looked at his son in shock. “Peter Parker Rogers! You do _not_ threaten people.” He scolded.

Natasha watched the interactions between them. The light touches and warm smiles. Before she had even conversed with him, she believed that Steve was a good man. That was obvious in the way Tony had changed from the last time they had been in the tower. She nodded in approval, something that Tony did not miss. His face lit up and he grinned.

Clint groaned. “Fine! Fine, your daddy is the best. Cool. I need a drink.” He went to the bar and discovered that it was filled with juice.

“No way…” He whimpered. “Where has the liquor gone?”

Tony lowered Peter onto the ground. He watched his son walk over to the babies. “I stopped drinking a year ago. Got rid of everything about three weeks ago. There will be no alcohol in this tower. Right, honey bunny?” He batted his eyelashes at his boyfriend.

Steve chuckled. “Right, cuddle bunch.” He replied.

Clint threw himself onto the ground, unable to deal with the sweetness overwhelming the living room. Tony was surprised that Natasha was dealing with the sudden change better than he was. She had approached Peter and knelt down to speak with him. After the short conversation was finished, Peter was including her in whatever he was doing with the babies.

“My friends are becoming responsible adults. What am I going to do? Soon, I’ll be the only fun one left.” Clint groaned, rolling back and forth.

Natasha rolled her eyes. “Everyone was already a responsible adult. It’s not our fault you have the maturity of a fetus.” She said.

The entire room erupted in laughter. Clint continued rolling on the ground much to their amusement. It made Tony want to step on him and pretend to jump on him, knowing that the man would attempt to roll away. So he did. He pretended that he was going to jump on him and had Peter join him in torturing the screaming man around the living room. Natasha had come to stand beside Steve, both of them watching the boys.

“Thank you.” She said.

Steve turned to look at her before smiling and shaking his head. “I should be thanking you. I’m glad he never had to spend the holidays alone, that he had people there to call family. I just hope Peter and I can find a place in the already large family.” He said.

“I think that can be arranged.” And with that, they were accepted by Natasha.


	16. Chapter 16

Three o’clock in the morning had come by. The only reason Tony was awake laid in his arms. He hummed softly, rocking Mason back and forth in a desperate attempt to lull him back to sleep. He did not expect babies to be hard work. Sure, he understood that babies were never _easy_ but he figured that his paternal instincts would kick in and he would be a super dad. Mason was hiccuping against his chest, gathering enough oxygen to release another loud cry.

“How about I sing a song? I’m not the best singer but hey, it’s worth a shot.” The genius moved to the windows where the city lights danced along the walls. He could not even begin to remember how many times the lights had soothed him after nightmares. He looked down at Mason and started singing. “There’s Hydrogen and Helium. Then Lithium, Beryllium. Boron, Carbon everywhere. Nitrogen all through the air. With Oxygen so you can breathe and Fluorine for your pretty teeth. Neon to light up the signs, Sodium for salty times.” Mason seemed to be growing sleepier by the second. Whether it was the science or the sound of his voice, Tony had no clue. But he pushed on. “Magnesium, Aluminum, Silicon, Phosphorus, then Sulfur, Chlorine and Argon. Potassium and Calcium so you’ll grow strong. Scandium, Titanium, Vanadium and Chromium and Manganese. This is the Periodic Table. Noble gas is stable. Halogens and Alkali react aggressively. Each period will see new outer shells. While electrons are added moving to the right.” Finally, Mason had fallen asleep with his small hand holding onto Tony’s shirt.

A light chuckle alerted him that he was not alone. Tony turned around to find Steve leaning against the door frame, an eyebrow raised in his direction. “Why am I not surprised that the only lullaby you know is about science?” The blonde teased.

“You wish you were this cool.” Tony said, sticking his tongue out in the most childish manner.

Steve nodded mock seriously. “You have never been more right, honey. Yes, I want to be singing about science to a crying baby at three o’clock in the morning with drool covering my shirt. Oh sweetheart, you are the definition of cool.” Tony was staring at him in shock.

“Did you just _sass_ me?” He asked.

Steve shrugged his shoulders, walking over to take the sleeping baby from his arms. A line of drool followed Mason causing both of the men to wince. “I should probably change my shirt.” Tony chuckled. “Not sure I can rock the dad look.” He glanced down at the wet spot on his shirt and scrunched his nose, attempting to move the shirt away from his chest.

“I don’t know. I happen to think you rock the dad look very well.” Steve disagreed, leaning forward to kiss him lightly on the lips. “How about you teach the song to Peter? I think he would like that. You understand him when he starts rambling about science and other genius things.”

Tony thought for a moment before nodding. “Maybe tomorrow. He should get a head start on learning about the Periodic Table. Of course, he knows the easier ones like oxygen and hydrogen.” He followed Steve as the other man went to place Mason in the guest room.

Tony had redecorated the guest room for whenever the twins came over. There were toys and clothing. Even two cribs. But Mason and Grace never slept well without the other near. So only one crib was used. The couple stood beside the crib for several minutes, watching the babies sleep. Steve could remember when he would watch Peter throughout the night. He worried about him. Especially since he was quiet.

“Do you ever think about having children? I mean, you would have beautiful children.” Steve decided to ask the question he had been wondering about since he encountered the genius. Tony continued watching the babies for another minute before he responded. “I’m not sure that would be a good idea. Alcoholism runs in my family. Then there’s depression and ADHD. I’m not sure I would want to bring a child into the world, having them fall before they even have the chance to walk.” He said.

Steve thought for a moment. “How about adopting?” He asked.

Tony turned to look at his boyfriend. “Do you have baby fever or something? Are you trying to say you want a baby?” He questioned.

Rather than appearing upset or exasperated, there was fondness in his brown eyes. A light blush swept across Steve's cheeks and he chuckled nervously, scratching the back of his head. “I’m not saying that. It’s just… you’re a wonderful father to Peter and an amazing uncle to the twins. I’m curious as to why you’ve never had children.” He explained.

He relaxed when Tony wrapped his arms around his waist and held onto him. “Even though I lived with both my parents, I was raised more by Jarvis. He was our butler but he was more a father than my own father was. I never adopted a child or had a kid because I want them to be raised by not one but two people that love them. I’m not saying single mothers and fathers don’t get the job done, but I’d like for my child to have what I never had. Does that make sense?” He asked.

Steve nodded. “Perfect sense. Thankfully, Peter and the twins have a million people that love them.” He said.

Eventually, the couple went back to the bedroom and settled down for whatever sleep they could get before Peter and the twins woke up. Steve laid on the bed with his fingers running through Tony’s hair. The only sound in the room was their breathing. Tony had been thinking about what he wanted. The more time he spent with Steve and Peter, the more he realized that he wanted them forever. He wanted to be a father and a loving husband. He had made a ring in the workshop. One that symbolized both him and Steve. Yet whenever he wanted to propose, he froze. He was sure that he wanted Steve but did Steve want him? He knew that Steve loved him. There was no doubt about that. But did he want to spend the rest of his life with him? The thought of Steve leaving made him nauseous.

There was only one way to know. Tony moved away from the hands of his boyfriend and reached over to the nightstand. Steve watched him with a raised eyebrow. “What are you doing?” Steve asked. Tony waved his hand and continued rummaging in the drawer until his fingers grazed the edge of the round box he had been keeping for the perfect moment.

He inhaled deeply. He pulled out the small box and went back to Steve. He noticed how the blue eyes zeroed in on the box, his chest rising and falling more quickly than before. Tony needed to start talking before Steve passed out. “I know this is supposed to be romantic. Red roses and burning candles kind of romantic. But that doesn’t feel right to me. Because that’s not real. It’s three o’clock in the morning and I’ve never been more positive that you’re the one I want to spend the rest of my life with. Our lives have been far from simple. But every struggle was worth the end result of falling in love with you and getting not one but two special people in my life. Our love may not be like Cinderella's or Ariel's, but I’d pick our forever over any happily ever after any day. So Steven Grant Rogers, will you marry me?” He did it. He managed to propose! He was almost to busy congratulating himself to notice Steve grab onto his face and pull him in for a loving kiss.

Steve was nodding, breathing words against his lips. “Yes, Tony. Yes, I would love to marry you. Oh my gosh. Yes.” He rambled, laughing breathlessly. Tony pulled away long enough to take the ring from the box and slid it onto his finger. It took several tries since his hands were shaking but he managed it. The ring was made of titanium and gold alloy with a diamond in the center with a sapphire and ruby on the sides. Steve threw his arms around his neck once the ring was on his finger, holding him tightly before pulling back to kiss him.

“I love you so much. Let me show you how much, Tony. Please.” He breathed, peppering kisses along his cheeks and down his neck.

“God bless America.” Was the last coherent thing Tony said.


	17. Chapter 17

From a distance, Steve watched how comfortable Peter had become with the others. Thor was easily his favorite. Steve had a feeling it was because he carried him around on his shoulders and tossed him around as though he was as light as a feather. Peter wasn’t heavy but he was certainly not light either. Carrying him around hurt Steve’s back. The next favorite was Natasha. That surprised both him and Tony. She was known to be reserved, intimidating those around her. But with him, she smiled softly as though he was the most important thing in her world.

Tony explained that Natasha did not have a pleasant childhood. They met for the first time when he was eight and she was six. Anything below perfection was not enough to please her parents. There were times when she would show up with bruises littering her entire body, covering her pale form. No one paid mind to what was happening before their eyes. Tony was struck with the urge to protect her. Back then, she was his only friend. Only Natasha could understand him. She didn’t think he was a freak or that he was worthless. To her, he was just Tony.

One day, Natasha received a mark lower than usual. Not by much, it was a near perfect score but the percentage enraged her father. He reached out and grabbed onto her arm causing her to jerk towards him. Impulsively, Tony lurched forward and sunk his teeth into his arm. He could never forget the bitter taste of blood thick on his tongue. A taste burned onto his tongue. Jarvis managed to remove a furious Tony from the older man, spitting out the blood that had pooled in his mouth. “ _Someone as filthy as you should never touch someone as perfect as Natasha!_ ” He had shouted.

Natasha did not attend school the following week. Every day that passed, Tony was filled with anxiety. He would spend the nights sobbing into his pillow. At one point, he was frightened that he may have gotten her killed. On Monday, Natasha returned sporting a broken arm and two black eyes but she was smiling brighter than the sun in the blue sky. She hugged him tight, telling him that it wasn’t his fault and that she was grateful to have a friend like him.

Tony had no idea how long he cried.

“He reminds her of me when I was younger. Bright and kind, she said.” He mentioned one morning, watching as Peter colored on the ground beside their bed. He went through an old album from his childhood. One that Jarvis made with the help of his mother. His father had never seen the importance in creating memories like that. He thought it was pointless. Steve was shocked to find that Peter was nearly identical to Tony when he was younger. The same curly brown hair and eyes burning bright with barely restrained passion. They even shared the same unapologetic smile.

Sometimes, Peter has bad days. Those followed nights filled with nightmares. Whenever he feels the anxiety bubbling in his chest, he seeks out Bruce. Fortunately, he never has to explain. He just reaches out for Bruce to pick him up and the doctor carries him around for the day, sharing tea and whispering science into his ear. They figured out that Peter related more to Bruce’s science than Tony’s science. He found genetics interesting. Just hearing about the various discoveries Bruce had come across soothed his nerves.

When Peter wants to head to the park, he races to find Clint. Steve was nervous in the beginning. He knew that remaining on the ground made Clint uncomfortable. So he needed to be high enough to be able to see everything. Peter would return from the park with a million stories to tell. He would explain how he was able to see the entire world from the trees, how he felt like a king. After a while, Steve trusted Clint enough to believe he would never allow anything to happen to Peter. So the anxiety vanished and he became the one shoving them out the door.

He laid on the couch with Tony draped over his chest. His fingers wove through the unkempt locks, gently massaging his scalp. Peter was racing around the living room with Thor closing in behind him. Steve closed his eyes and for a brief moment he believed nothing had changed. The sound of Peter’s laughter rang clear through the air. There were times that the memories of the past would catch him. He could remember how he would lay his head on Peggy’s lap, humming as she massaged his head. She would laugh along with Peter as he jumped around, excited about whatever had happened that day.

Then Tony would move and the spell was broken. The brunette would turn his head to the side, pushing his head further into his hand. Sometimes the memories were not pleasant. There were times he would remember missions gone wrong. He could feel the sharp bite of leather at the corners of his mouth, silencing his screams. The feel of a whip against his back, cutting deep into his skin with each lash. Only twice had he been captured. But that was enough to haunt him for a lifetime.

Having his family close smothered the demons threatening to break through the carefully placed barrier. In that moment, the memories were contorting those of Peggy. He stopped the gentle strokes and moved his hand to grab onto Tony’s. He furrowed his eyebrows, working through the sounds blaring throughout his mind. The men would count the lashes. Some were sadistic enough to accidentally forget the numbers, starting the torture all over again. He could hear the crack of the whip and the pained gasps that managed to escape the leather gag.

He flinched when he felt two hands touch his cheeks. He had been lost in the memories and did not notice when Tony moved to straddle his lap. He massaged his temples, leaning forward to whisper sweet nothings into his ear. At some point, Thor had chased Peter out of the room to leave the couple alone. Steve made an attempt to speak but a strangled sob surprised him. One night, he decided that he should tell Tony what his nightmares were about. He woke up screaming more often than not. They were not always about the car accident or the explosion.

The moment he finished telling the gruesome tale, Tony held onto him for what seemed like forever. Steve leaned against him and closed his eyes, inhaling the familiar scent that was coconuts and motor oil. Tony never judged him. He never told him to get help or that he needed to take medicine. He understood that Steve would make those decisions with time. All he could do was love him.

Steve curled against his chest, his entire body trembling with broken sobs. “ _Captain America, huh? What’s so special about you? You’re as expendable as the next guy. Who would want a weakling like you? Once I’m done with you, you’ll be nothing but a waste of oxygen._ ” Even though the memories of how they tortured him with whips and chains pained him, nothing cut deeper than the things they said. The last time he was rescued from the hidden Hydra base, a group they had been fighting against for years, he was a changed man. He believed what they said. There was nothing special about him. He was nothing but a waste of oxygen.

The hands from from his head, finding their way down to his hands. Tony ran a finger over the engagement ring and pressed their foreheads together. “You are an amazing man, a hero. Not only to the world but to Peter and I. Just imagine what life would have been like for Peter without both his parents. Imagine how I would have ended up without the stubborn man I will soon call my husband. You have changed our worlds far more than you realize. You’re not worthless. You are worth every single damn thing this universe has to offer.” He pressed a light kiss against trembling lips.

“How can you say that?” Steve shoved him away and stood, pacing back and forth. “How can you even say that? I’m not some perfect soldier! I messed up big time. I’m the reason Peggy is dead. I’m the reason Bucky has to live life without his left arm. I’m the reason Peter doesn’t have a mother. All of that is my fault. Fuck, Bucky suffers so much and it’s all my fault.” The guilt was clouding his mind. “I wish I could wipe his mind, make him forget everything. Just so he can sleep at night and not have anxiety about certain things. I just want everyone to be happy but it seems like I’m the one that’s stopping that from happening. I should have been the one that lost an arm. I should have been the one that died that day. Not Bucky, not Peggy.”

Before he noticed, his head was snapping to the side. He could feel the sharp sting of a hand against his cheek. He raised his hand to place a hand on his face. Heat radiated from the place he had been struck. “Steven Grant Rogers,” He winced at the anger in Tony’s voice, “how could you believe that? Peter can smile and laugh _because_ his father is around. I can say that I haven’t drank in over a year _because_ I met you and Peter. Everyone has their demons. Yes, the explosion scarred everyone involved, but _none of them_ blame you for that. There was no way you could have known. You’re not psychic. I know for a damn fact that _Bucky_ has _not once_ blamed you. You are his best friend, his brother. You were there when no one else was. He is alive because you acted fast and saved his life. Even though you had a broken leg, you carried him for several miles. You are an amazing brother, a spectacular father and a phenomenal lover. I’m not going to stand here and let you think for even a second that you don’t deserve to be here!” Tony was trembling with rage, tears filling his eyes.

Steve remained silent. He sank down onto the couch, leaning forward onto his knees and holding his head in his hands. He must have pushed him to the point that he resorted to slapping him and yelling at him. Not once had Tony raised his voice during the time they spent together. He was consumed by a sudden anger directed at himself. He grabbed the nearest glass that had been abandoned on the coffee table and hurled it at the wall, watching it shatter.

Tony flinched, jumping back slightly. “What’s going on?” He turned his head to find Clint standing there, his bow ready for use.

“Nothing. Steve, I need you to breathe. Come on, honey bunny. Breathe for me.” Tony moved to kneel before Steve.

He could see the unbearable self-hatred in the blue eyes he had grown to love. Steve exhaled shakily, leaning forward to place his head on his shoulder and whined against his neck. Tony rubbed circles on his back and whispered into his ear, feeling the tension leave his body after several minutes. “Are you sure?” Clint asked, watching Steve with suspicion.

“I’m okay, Clint. He just needed to break something. He would never hurt me and you know that.” Tony said, attempting to reassure his friend.

Clint watched for a moment before he placed his bow on his shoulder and disappeared down the hallway. He must have gone to speak with Natasha about what he had seen. Those two were like conjoined twins. Tony focused his attention back on the anxious blonde in his arms. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.” Steve whispered.

“I’m not scared, sweetheart. Just worried about you. You said you wished you could wipe Bucky’s mind. Well, I wish I could wipe yours. But I know that I would be destroying the person you are, the man that I love.” Tony said.

Steve shook his head. “Wouldn’t that be a good thing? Look at what I just did. What if Peter was here to see that?” He gestured to the shattered glass across the room, feeling the familiar burn of tears in his eyes.

“You would have never done that with Peter in the room. I know you would have left the room and caused havoc elsewhere. I wish you could see what an amazing man you are. Sure, you get angry sometimes but when was the last time you had a drink?” Tony ran his fingers through his hair.

One year. Both of them made the decision to stop drinking for Peter. Steve decided he was done speaking and pulled Tony close. He knew that he would never lose his temper in front of Peter. Peter was too important, too young to understand that his father was a broken man. But Tony understood him better than anyone. He was forcing nothing but positive things into his mind, clearing out the garbage that had compiled over the years. Every day seemed easier than the last.

Maybe with time, Steve could finally believe that he was worth something.


	18. Chapter 18

“Steven,” A loud groan came from the lump on the massive bed, “I am not going to repeat myself. You need to go to the hospital. You have a fever and I’m not going to carry you there. I would but you weigh a ton. It’s your fault for working out so much and becoming this muscled sex god.” Tony had awoken to a trembling Steve pressed against his back, burning hot to the touch. He was proud of himself for remaining calm as he went to fetch a thermometer. He had a hard time dealing with illness when it came to those he loved. Especially Steve and Peter. For some reason, they seemed more delicate in those situations.

He found out the hard way that Steve was stubborn enough to die in the bed rather than head to the hospital. He spent most of the morning trying to lure the blonde out of the bed. He even tried to persuade him with sex! But it was no use. Steve was not budging and there wasn’t much Tony could do other than nag. “Sweetheart, I don’t want you getting even more sick. The doctors can diagnose you and then we can work from there. We don’t be there long. An hour tops!” He was becoming desperate. Steve was shivering through a temperature of 103.

Steve shook his head, burrowing deeper into the sheets. The only reason he had gone to the hospital earlier in the year was because Peter had gotten sick. If it had nothing to do with Tony or Peter, Steve would not set foot inside a hospital. He sunk his teeth into his lower lip, whimpering as another wave of nausea came over him. He rarely got sick. Not once since he had been dating Tony had he even had something as simple as a cold. Not even Peter had seen his father sick. Steve could remember spending days in the hospital throughout his childhood, his mother fretting over the fact that her son could die because of something like the flu. When he joined the military, it was like the magical cure to his illnesses. His body seemed to catch up and his immune system strengthened.

A warm hand pressed against his forehead. He leaned into the touch, releasing another pained whimper. His entire body ached and he could feel his throat burning. “Honey, at least let me bathe you. You are overheating. A nice bath should help cool you down.” Tony brushed the drenched bangs out of Steve’s face, caressing his flushed cheeks.

“‘M cold…” Steve murmured, focusing on the warmth his lover was forcing into his body. “No water… Just want you, Tony.” He unleashed the legendary puppy dog eyes that he was known for on the unsuspecting Stark. He hummed happily as the cocoon was opened and the cold was replaced with the heated body of the brunette. Immediately, Steve tried to wrap around his smaller frame.

A hand ran along his back, causing him to shiver in delight. He could remember when his mother would hold him throughout the night with the machines beeping around them and an oxygen mask secured on his face. Her touch was warm against his shivering body and he buried his face in the crook of her neck, inhaling the calming chamomile scent he always found there.

An hour passed before Tony could persuade Steve to settle into the bathtub. The veteran hissed when his body sunk into the seemingly cold water. He made an attempt to leave the tub but was pushed back by Tony. “Cold… Tony.” Steve whined, reaching out with damp hands to grab onto his lover.

“The water is luke warm, sweetheart.” He poured water over his back, watching the flow descend between his shoulder blades and disappearing just below his lower back. A proud smile made its way onto his face when Steve leaned over the tub and focused on the feel of the water rather than the temperature. He was humming under his breath, mumbling about things like egg creams and strawberries dipped in chocolate. Tony figured he was craving sweets. So he made a mental note to make egg creams and chocolate covered strawberries for him.

After five minutes, Steve had fallen asleep. His cheek was pressed against his forearm and he was breathing lightly. Tony ran a hand through his hair with a fond smile on his face. He would have never done something like this before Steve. Something about having a lover, soon to be husband, and an adorable son made him nauseatingly domestic. He was surprised to find that he didn’t mind in the slightest.

There were rough patches here and there. No relationship was perfect. Especially not theirs. Sometimes, Tony would lose track of time and spend an entire week in the workshop which caused a massive argument when he missed a date they had been trying to schedule for weeks. Between running R&D and making sure that everything in the tower was constantly being updated, Tony became too entranced to remember things like dates and appointments.

Steve had the tendency to keep everything inside, letting things fester until he lost his cool. He was used to handling things on his own. So when the arguments started, Tony would eventually calm down enough to remember that Steve had taken care of himself since he was young. Even though his mother was alive for most of his childhood, she was constantly working. The only time he spent with her was when he was sick. During those times, he could barely appreciate having her near.

But even though nothing was perfect, they made things work.

“Hercules, time to wake up. I have to get you back into bed. Then you can sleep, I promise.” Steve was fighting through the haze. His blue eyes opened, desperately trying to focus on Tony, but he was beyond exhausted. He could barely stand to leave the bathroom. He leaned against Tony as he was dried. He smiled weakly, attempting to wiggle his hips which only made Tony laugh. “Like you could stay awake for sex.” Tony said, guiding him to the bed.

Steve landed against the pillows and moaned out loud, moving around to cover himself with the thick blankets. “I could if you wanted to…” He mumbled, fighting the sleep that threatened to come over him. “Do anythin’ for you…” He breathed.

He was asleep by the time Tony settled on the bed next to him. Steve wrapped his arms around his waist and placed his head against him, continuing to sleep through the fever. Tony ran his fingers through his hair, humming lightly to some song he had been listening to the day before. He questioning how he could have landed such a perfect man. It was amazing that Steve could love him enough to do anything for him, that he would fight through his sickness to give Tony his body. As long as Tony was happy, he was ecstatic. Of course, Tony would never take advantage of him like that. He wanted to treat Steve like the precious treasure he was. He deserved so much more than he had been given.

His phone buzzed on the night table. He reached over to snatch the device before the sound could wake Steve. There was a text message from Bucky. He was wondering how Steve was doing, if he needed to head over. Tony sent a message back saying that Steve had fallen asleep and was refusing to go to the hospital but that he would keep an eye on him, make sure the fever didn’t get worse. Then he asked how Peter was doing. Once he found out that Steve was sick, he asked Bucky to watch Peter until Steve got over whatever he had. Bucky was more than happy to watch him, having missed seeing him everyday. He was surprised when he received quite the sentimental response from Bucky.

_Thank you for taking care of him. Punk never realizes when he’s pushed way past his limit until he collapses or has a mental breakdown. I was wrong about you, Stark. I’m man enough to admit that. Keep taking care of him. Not just now but everyday. He deserves happiness and I know he’s found that with you. ~ Bucky_

Tony read the message what seemed like a million times. Whatever doubts he had that he was undeserving of Steve disappeared. For Bucky, the overprotective best friend (and brother), to say that meant that he believed Tony was good enough to love Steve. He leaned down to kiss his forehead. Even though he was unconscious, Steve chased the kiss by pressing his head further into the kiss.

Steve opened his eyes a couple hours later to find Tony seated against the headboard, working on some project on his tablet. He hummed and nosed his way under his shirt, pressing a light kiss against his stomach. Tony shivered and placed the tablet on the night stand, gently pushing his head away from his lower half. “No sex for you. I’m pretty sure horniness is not a symptom of whatever you have.” He said, flicking his forehead lightly.

Tony was convinced that Steve was a demon sent from the underworld to torture him. He watched as the blonde stretched out like a feline, batting his eyelashes at him with a sultry smirk positioned on his face. He would have jumped him at any other time. Steve was addicting and Tony was not ashamed to admit that he was hopelessly addicted to him. But he noticed how Steve was panting slightly, his eyes glazed over.

“Not today, honey. I’m not taking advantage of you. You’re sick. When you get better, we can spend however long you want in bed. But for right now, you are going to rest and eat your weight in soup.” Tony said firmly.

He smiled when Steve plopped beside him, whining like a child that was denied a treat. “But sex always makes me feel better.” He complained.

“Trust me, sex will only make you feel worse. Plus, do you really want to pass your germs over to me? I’m a nightmare when I’m sick. Just ask Pepper.” Tony pressed his finger against his forehead, forcing Steve further down into the pillows. He noticed his mistake when Steve tilted his head and captured his finger in his mouth, sucking lightly on the digit. He watched Steve suck on his finger, covering the entire digit with saliva. He had never been more turned on. He thought he was going to blow the second Steve opened his mouth to release the finger, letting it drag along his tongue.

Steve watched him before turning onto his side and closing his eyes. “Fine. Be that way. I can always take care of my problem by myself. Why would I want you to pound-“ He pouted. Tony had covered his mouth, unable to handle dirty talk from his fiancé. He knew that the further Steve pushed, the weaker Tony’s resolve would become.

“Rest and soup. I made some for you earlier. I’m going to bring the soup in here and you are going to stop being a devious little minx. Is that understood?” Steve smirked, "Have I been a bad girl?" and licked the palm of his hand, laughing at how Tony groaned about how disgusting Steve was. Tony was relieved to see that Steve was feeling ten times better than he had before he slept. His cheeks had more color and the chills seemed to have gone away. But he was still breathing heavily and his eyes were still glazed over.

He reached out to massage his scalp. Instantly, Steve became pliant under his touch and laid back against the sheets. He smiled at him. “I love you.” He said, his voice softer than before.

His nose wrinkled as Tony pressed a light kiss against the tip. “I love you, too, lamb.” He returned.

Steve sighed. “Hurry back to me, Iron Man. I need to get better because there are a million things I want to do to you that do not involve soup or rest.” The mischivous glint had returned, running his hands over the toned arms of his lover. “You know it drives me crazy when you call me that.” Tony whined, moving away from his touch. He headed to the kitchen, Steve’s laughter loud enough for him to hear.

God, Tony loved him.


	19. Chapter 19

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: There is slight sexual content. Like super slight. MEGA SLIGHT. But I felt the need to warn you anyway.

One of the worst decisions he had ever made was buying a kitten for Peter. Why you might ask? Because Peter was not the one that became obsessed with the tiny creature. As much as he loved the kitten, he was not carrying the demonic little thing around 24/7. No, the one that was responsible for becoming attached to the animal was none other than Steve. The blonde had fallen in love with the Scottish Fold kitten the moment he set eyes on her, empathizing with her smaller than normal size. That would have been okay with Tony. He was used to sharing attention with Peter. But he began feeling neglected. The kitten was always on his shoulder. The only time the kitten wasn't attached to him was when Steve was in the bathroom. Even then she was waiting on the other side of the door.

The thing was that the kitten _knew_ she was the new favorite. She would glare at Tony whenever he made an attempt to show some sort of affection to his lover and bite his ankles, causing him to jump away in pain. Steve never seemed to notice the obvious rivalry between his fiancé and kitten. No, he thought they were affectionately fighting each other in a childlike display of affection. Tony declared the kitten, Wednesday (a name that Steve thought was appropriate due his love for the Addams Family) his nemesis. He was not about to lose Steve to a mere kitten. No, he was going to corner Steve and do what any man would do in that situation. He was going to start begging and crying for attention.

Wednesday was seated on the lap of her favorite owner, purring loudly as Steve massaged her neck. It was common for them to spend time in the living room together. Most of the week he would spend time there, watching the Addams Family and showering the kitten with love. The black kitten soaked everything up, her blue eyes dancing with happiness as she nuzzled further into his hand.

Tony peaked into the living room, watching the nemesis make an attempt to claim his territory. “Not today, you little shit.” He whispered. He rummaged around his “Bag of Terror” and pulled out a can of tuna. Wednesday adored tune more than any other cat he had encountered. He snickered, opening the can. Almost immediately, Wednesday was shooting upwards and searching for the delicious fish.

Steve leaned over the side of the couch, wondering what his kitten was doing. He made clicking sounds to capture her attention but she was on the hunt for food. When she entered the hallway and disappeared from his sight, Tony slammed a blanket over the kitten and raced towards the workshop before Steve could hear the hissing from the kitten. Now, he was not evil or sadistic. He made sure not to accidentally harm Wednesday. He knew Steve and Peter would never forgive him.

He opened a crate he had placed inside the workshop. He made sure the locks were the best, knowing that Wednesday could pick them and escape. He tossed the kitten in the crate and placed the tuna down before locking the crate. She was hissing loudly, attempting to swipe at him from inside. Tony started laughing maniacally, rubbing his hands together like some evil mastermind.

“You are not taking Steve away from me. Not today, you little brat. You are going stay here and eat your damn tuna like a good kitten is supposed to do.” He could feel the anger behind the piercing gaze of the kitten. He believed that she must have been some terrorist in her past life. Most likely Hitler or Mussolini. He waved goodbye to her and raced back upstairs, finding Steve searching the floor for the kitten.

Tony cocked his head to the side, pretending to be genuinely confused. “Honey, what’re you looking for?” He asked.

Steve crawled around the ground as he searched underneath the couch. “Wednesday just ran away. I’m not sure where she went. She was running like her tail was on fire. Do you think she might be sick? Maybe we should head to the vet. I don’t want her getting sick. Kittens aren’t strong enough to fight serious illnesses and-“ His eyes widened as soft lips pressed against his own, cutting him off.

“I saw her going into Peter’s room. Wednesday is fine.” Tony moved his mouth to his neck, sucking lightly on the sensitive skin there. Steve moaned, placing his hands on the hips moving against his own. The brunette straightened to lead his lover into the bedroom. Clint was lingering around with Natasha. Peter would be fine without one of his fathers hovering.

But the second he pushed Steve onto the bed and was about to climb onto him, sharp teeth sunk into his ankle. He shouted a litany of curses, falling onto the ground with his hands wrapped around his ankle. Glaring at him was Wednesday. She trembling with rage, hissing violently at the genius. Tony scrambled away from the demonic kitten. “I am over this!” He shouted, forcing himself onto his feet.

“I hate this fucking cat!” He could feel the tears burning his eyes. “I hope you two have a long, happy life together. I’m going to be in the workshop.” He escaped from the room before Steve could have a chance to wonder what was going on. The second he entered the workshop, he slid onto the ground and covered his face. He knew he was being irrational. It was a damn cat. But it had been two weeks since he did anything other than share a kiss with Steve in passing. Was he that easy to forget? He groaned loudly, pulling his knees to his chest. “Blackout protocol.” He mumbled, listening as the doors slammed shut and the glass darkened.

Questioning that made him feel like garbage. He knew that Steve loved him. Yet there he was, crying over the fact that Steve was paying attention to a kitten. A kitten that needed constant attention. Before he realized what was happening, he could feel the tears trickling past his cheeks. He buried his head into his knees and sunk his teeth into his lower lip. He was distracted from his inner turmoil by a light scratching coming from the door. The security camera showed Wednesday on the other side, scratching the door. Steve was nowhere to be found.

“Where is Steve? Tell him to get his damn cat.” Tony said.

“ _I am afraid that Steve is having a conversation with Master Barton. It would seem that he did not realize how much he had been neglecting you the past two weeks. Also, Wednesday is here of her own accord. I believe she would like to enter the workshop to be with you, Sir._ ” JARVIS replied.

He would never lie to him. JARVIS valued his creator, doing whatever necessary to keep him safe. Tony turned his head to rest his cheek against his knee. “Open the door then, J.” He said softly.

The door opened and Wednesday was scampering inside. She did not stop until she was launching herself against him, attempting to wiggle into his arms. She had never been fond of him. It seemed like all they had done since she came around was fight over Steve. Wednesday found her way into his arms and nuzzled against his neck, purring loudly. She was apologizing.

“I don’t know why I’ve been so jealous of you. I guess… I guess it’s because Steve has never been like that with me. You’ve become everything to him and you’ve only been around two weeks. I’ve been around longer but…” He held the kitten close, unable to fight the tears. “I’m such an idiot.” He whispered.

“No, I’m the idiot.” Steve crouched before Tony and placed a hand on his knee. “I’ve been neglecting you, being the worst fiancé in the world. You deserve so much more and I am so sorry for treating you like this. I never meant for you to question my feelings for you. I love you, honey. We are going to spend the rest of our lives together. I’m so in love with you that I’m positive we’ll be spending even the afterlife together.” Tony cracked a smile at the last comment, sniffling lightly. “I asked Clint and Natasha to watch Peter and Wednesday for the night. I want to apologize in every way possible. I want to show you how much I love you. Because I do, sweetheart. I love you so much.” He leaned forward, kissing him gently.

Tony hummed against his lips. “You don’t have to. I know that Wednesday needs the attention because she’s tiny. I’m not going to get upset anymore, I promise.” He said.

Steve reached out to hold his face, running his thumb over the tears that had stained his cheeks. He could feel the guilt settling into his stomach. He was the reason Tony was crying. He was the reason he had been miserable for the last two weeks. Tony had promised Peter he would never make him upset, that he would try his best to make Steve happy. Steve should have promised the same.

“Tonight is all about you. I’m not taking no for an answer. We are going to spend the entire night together and the tomorrow morning as well. I know you would like that and I would love being able to show you just how much you mean to me. You are so good to me, honey.” The praise made Tony whine. He slumped against Steve, making little happy sounds.

Once Steve handed Peter and Wednesday over to the duo, he pushed his lover into the bedroom and laid him against the bed. Steve was going to take things slow, push Tony to the point of madness until he was begging and pleading for more. He sucked on his smooth skin, smiling as Tony made light sounds of approval. “Such a good boy. You are so good to me, Tony. I don’t deserve you. You’re always giving,” His hand made their way into his pants, “and giving. I promise I’m going to be better. I’m going to be perfect for you, honey.” He relished in the sounds he was drawing from the pliant man beneath him.

He stopped for a moment, frozen as Tony reached out to wrap his arms around his neck. His chocolate brown eyes were shimmering and he wore a blinding smile that sent a shiver down Steve’s spine. “You’re already perfect.” Tony whispered. He gasped as Steve wrapped a hand around him, stroking his member painfully slow. He felt lightheaded, his head rolling to the side and baring his neck to Steve.

Steve leaned forward to sink his teeth into his neck. Everything about Tony went against what the world saw. The persona he created to please the public and persuade other business men and women to see the world through his eyes was a mask he never wore inside the tower. When he was home, the pretenses faded away. He would become the man Steve had fallen in love with.

His Tony was a total geek. He said things no one other than Bruce understood and cackled whenever he was cooking in the kitchen like he was doing some evil experiment which was not often. Steve liked to restrict explosions to the workshop and lab. He chased their son around the tower, roaring like some beast from a movie Steve had never seen, but Peter loved every second of it. He loved licking Steve on the cheek, running away before Steve could smack him upside the head. He even had the tendency to bite him in random places like some sort of possessive animal. But every second he spent inside the tower, he shined brighter than any star ever could.

He became the person Natasha had known during elementary school, the boy that had given her the courage to stand up for herself. He became the person that saved Clint from the circus when they were teenagers. He became the person that loved Thor even though he was oddly unique. He became the person that looked past Bruce’s temper and offered him a place in his home, not worried that he would spend money repairing broken furniture and shattered windows. He became the person that saved Wednesday from being euthanized just because she was smaller than average. He became the person that showed Steve that love was not dead, that he was worth more than what people said. He became the man that gave Peter another person to love, someone that understood his mind and loved him even though he was different. Even though Tony was convinced that he was a terrible person, he had saved all of them from the never ending hell they had been living in.

He was a hero and Steve was lucky enough to be loved by him.


	20. Chapter 20

One thing Steve knew for sure was that being with Tony showed him how flexible he was. Love making was not as simple as laying on their backs and doing the deed. No, that was boring according to both of them. Steve was positive that he continued to be a “blonde beefcake” because he carried Tony most of the time they were doing anything of a sexual nature. Tony with his back against the wall, his legs wrapped tight around Steve as the blonde tortured him in the most sensual way possible. To be honest, it was their favorite position.

Now, they were not the couple that was set in their ways. No one was the bottom or top. Tony called them “versatile”, a term that Steve had never heard before him. Not that he cared for labels. Some days he wanted to be the one being taken of, other days he wanted to be the one taking care of him. Luckily, Tony took him any way he could have him. Whether he was on the receiving or giving end, he enjoyed himself.

None of that would matter. Absolutely none of that. But there was one problem. One _massive_ problem. When Steve got going and dragged Tony down with him, neither of them could focus on anything other than each other. Usually, that was okay. But when a strangled sound came from the doorway, pulling the couple apart in panic, they came to the realization that _maybe_ they should pay more attention.

Peter was standing there with his hands plastered over his eyes, his water bottle rolling towards the bed. His face was crimson red. He took a hesitant step backwards, shaking his head multiple times. For the second time since he had been born, Steve cursed the fact that he was a genius. He was no stranger to the human body and had started reading health books to better understand his own. When he came across anything having to do with sexual relations, he was indifferent to it. It was completely normal. But seeing his parents in the act, making sounds and doing unspeakable things to each other, was enough to make him embarrassed.

“I-I…” He had no words. “U-Uncle Bucky!” He was running from the room, searching for his uncle.

Steve jumped out of the bed. “Peter! Peter, hold on!” He shouted, tugging on the closest pants. Tony was the only one that seemed to notice that he had somehow managed to squeeze into the skinny jeans Tony had been wearing. The brunette was beyond embarrassed. How could he face Peter? He covered his face, listening as Steve raced after their son.

He took a moment to collect his thoughts. He could remember when he walked in on his own parents. There were a million things Tony had seen, none of them scarred him as deeply as that had. Of course, his parents spoke to him about what happened. For his father to be there meant he was seriously apologetic. But the only way he managed to get over something so traumatic was because Jarvis had sat him down and explained everything. But not even the conversation could erase the images. Years later and they were still burned into his mind.

He rummaged around multiple drawers, searching for a comfortable pair of pants. He settled on one he had seen Steve wear around the tower a million times. He wore them once a couple months back and found that they were extremely comfortable. He emerged from the bedroom, taking his time approaching the living room. He could hear a conversation going on but was too far away to hear the words. 

When he entered the room and discovered Peter attached to Bucky, his face hidden in the crook of his neck, a wave of shame washed over him. His son was going to be scarred for life. There was nothing more horrifying than walking in on your parents. Peter was still blushing, his ears red. “Peter, please look at me. I’m sorry you had to see that. Come on, honey.” Steve pleaded.

Tony leaned against the wall, rubbing a hand over his face. He remembered nothing other than running his nails along Steve’s back and sinking his teeth into his shoulder. A sight he assumed would have been erotic for some people but horrifying for children. Especially their own son. “‘m not mad. I read a-about that i-in the health books Uncle B-Bruce gave me. I-I…” He could hear how choked up Peter was becoming. “Seein’ you guys do that i-is _gross_!” That made Tony start cracking up, leaning forward to put his hands on his knees. Even Bucky was laughing.

He walked over and placed a hand on his back. “Look, I know how gross that is. It happened to me when I was a little older than you and I was horrified.” He confessed.

Peter raised his head at that. “Really? What did you do?” He asked, his voice low.

“Jarvis explained everything and helped me see. It may be disgusting and embarrassing to find your parents like that, I’m embarrassed and I’m sure your father is, but I need you to understand one thing.” He smiled gently at him, “When two people are in love, there are a million ways they show that love. Like when we give each other kisses over breakfast in the morning or cuddle on the couch during movie night. Then there are _other_ things we do. But I promise that it only means we love each other. Try not to think about it too much. I promise it will never happen again, okay?”

Peter seemed to calm down after Tony explained. He nodded, turning around to open his arms for his father to take him. Bucky was chuckling under his breath as he handed the five year old over to Steve. He threw an arm around Tony, the prosthetic pressed against his skin. "It finally happened. I was wonderin' when it would. You two go at it like bunnies." He made sure to speak low enough for only Tony to hear, not wanting to scar Peter more than he already had been.

Tony smirked, gesturing towards the panicking Steve. "Can you blame me? Look at him! That's one hundred percent American made perfection right there. How could I _not_ be jumping him every chance I get?" The comment reached Steve and he turned to glare at them. "Keep your mouths shut. I'm going to watch a movie with Peter." He growled, obviously angry that his son was upset.

He went to head towards the television when he seemed to remember something. "Oh! And Tony?" He called out innocently.

"Yeah, babe?" Tony was distracted, not paying close attention.

Steve smiled wide. "None of _that_ will be happening for a long, _long_ time." With that, he went to watch a movie with his son.

Tony was staring after him with wide eyes and a gaping mouth. He tried to figure out what he had done wrong to receive such a punishment. He went through everything that had happened in his head but there was _nothing_ that could have resulted in such a cruel punishment! He felt tears welling up in his eyes. He turned to hold onto Bucky, the man patted his back sympathetically.

"It's alright, buddy. 'm sure you're goin' to get to know your right hand _very_ well for the next month. But no worries, Tin Man. 'm sure the sex will be amazin' when Steve gets over it." That was not comforting in the slightest, only causing Tony to groan.

He was pretty sure he would die before Steve caved.

 


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING! WARNING! WARNING! IF YOU DO NOT LIKE MALE ON MALE SEX THEN WAIT FOR THE NEXT CHAPTER! I REPEAT, IF YOU DO NOT LIKE MALE ON MALE SEX THEN WAIT FOR THE NEXT CHAPTER! THERE WILL BE EXPLICIT SEXUAL CONTENT! THAT MEANS A DETAILED DESCRIPTION ON SAID MALE ON MALE SEX! IF YOU DO NOT WANT TO READ THIS, WAIT UNTIL THE NEXT CHAPTER! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED! 
> 
> Please proceed.

A month and fifteen days. That was how long it took for Steve to cave. Tony was anxious by that point, spending days upon days in the workshop. He needed to break things and create inventions to soothe his sexual frustration. Sure, sex was not everything in a relationship and if Steve decided that he never wanted to have sex again that would be okay with Tony. As long as he was happy, Tony could manage. But there was a difference between not having sex because he genuinely didn’t want to and not having sex because he was embarrassed.

It was obvious that not having sex was getting to Steve. He would spend hours in the gym, breaking each punching bag he vented his frustrations on. But every time he thought about having sex, he was reminded of Peter. That was enough to crush any arousing thought. So he made sure to spend time with Peter, making up for having scarred his son by watching movies and taking him out. Peter had never been happier. He loved spending time with his father. He seemed oblivious to whatever was going on between his parents.

The slightest things turned Tony on. He banned kissing, not being able to handle the touch. He would escape from the room whenever Steve made an attempt to hold him or place a chaste kiss against his lips. Bucky found the entire situation hilarious as did the others living in the tower. Even Darcy had started hanging around more often to watch how things would turn out. The genius fought against the frustration, knowing that Steve would come around with time, but it was horrible. He could barely remember how touch felt. He wanted to be able to hold Steve, steal kisses throughout the day. But being near him was unbearable.

In the present moment, he was throwing machines around the workshop and taking satisfaction as the pieces showered over the ground. He went over to grab onto one of the broken machines when the workshop doors opened. He thought Bruce had come down to inform him about dinner so he turned around with a smile. But he was met with a conflicted Steve. The blonde was twitching in the doorway, unable to meet his eyes.

“Did you want something?” Tony could feel the frustration leaking into his voice. He turned around, returning his focus to the machine. _Sex is not important. Sex is not important. Steve will come around and it will be the best sex ever. Just like Bucky said. Bucky never lies. He would never lie to me. Right?_ Those thoughts had become a mantra racing throughout his mind 24/7.

A light touch against his shoulder sent him scrambling around the workbench, holding the machine between them. “No touching. I told you that, Steve. I’m respecting you by not jumping you. Could you please respect me by not touching me?” _Because I know I’ll only make an ass out of myself if you do. I’m not a deviant. I can handle not having sex. I’m not some sex crazed animal._ He inhaled deeply, shoving down the obvious reaction he was having to Steve.

“No.” The answer surprised Tony. He was shocked enough that he had no time to escape Steve and was pulled flush against his chest. He went through the breathing exercises that JARVIS had taught him for anxiety attacks. _I am not a sexual deviant. I am not a sexual deviant. Sex is not important. Steve will come around and it will be the best sex ever. Just like Bucky said. Bucky never lies. He would never lie to me._ He breathed out shakily, attempting to create some distance between them.

But the muscles beneath his hands made him want to melt into his arms. “Steve, please.” He croaked.

Steve raised Tony, placing him roughly on the workbench. How he could have denied both himself and Tony for so long was a mystery to him. All he wanted was to bury himself deep inside his squirming lover, working him long enough to make him cry. He moaned at the thought. Tony a whimpering mess, laying pliant against the workbench, with tears running down his cheeks. Various tools crashed onto the ground but neither of them were sober enough to care.

He fell onto his knees, fumbling with the zipper on Tony’s pants. He could hear the labored breathing of his brunette lover, seeing how Tony bucked desperately against his touch. He was going to drive him to the point of insanity with his tongue alone. Once he managed to get past the zipper, he grabbed onto his pants and yanked them down, causing Tony to hold onto the workbench for dear life.

“B-Blackout Protocol.” Tony managed to choke out, his voice slightly breathless. He was obviously ecstatic that Steve caved and was as desperate for him as he was for him. He watched him through hooded eyes, throwing his head back as Steve swallowed him without warning. He reached down, knotting several blonde strands in a tight grip. He was bucking relentlessly against the unbelievable heat of Steve’s mouth. It had been so long. There was no way he was going to last.

He shoved him back, whimpering at the loss of his mouth. Seeing Steve panting heavily, his mouth parted slightly and his cheek covered with spit, was enough to make him blow his load. But he pushed the impending orgasm back. “I need you inside me, Steve.” He breathed. “I want to feel you here.” It was the most erotic thing Tony had done as he tore his boxers from his body, presenting himself to his lover.

Steve shook his head, trying to work past the lightheaded feeling Tony always gave him, and stood on his feet. He was oblivious to how Tony was staring at his obvious erection straining against his jeans. “Lube. We need lube.” Steve choked out.

“Just fuck me, Steve!” Tony shouted, not wanting to wait another second to feel his cock inside him.

But Steve was not doing him dry. There was nothing pleasant about it, neither of them would enjoy themselves. “I’m not fuckin’ you without lube.” His Brooklyn accent slipped out, showing how aroused he was.

“Well, I don’t have lube down here and I’m not waiting another second. I’ve been waiting a month and fifteen fucking days. I’m going to die if you aren’t inside me within the next five seconds.” His cock had become purple, edging towards painful. The constant denial was having a toll on his body. His poor cock had been patient, waiting for Steve to get over himself and worship it.

A sudden idea entered Steve’s mind. He dropped back down onto his knees, spreading Tony’s legs wider. “Steven Grant Rogers, get-“ Tony stopped talking and released a loud moan. Steve had plunged his tongue inside his hole, deciding that he would eat him out. Opening him with saliva and his fingers alone. As his tongue slipped past the muscles, ones that seemed to remember his touch and opened beautifully for him, he swore he could feel Tony’s heart beating. The thought aroused him, causing him to moan against Tony’s wiggling ass.

Steve could spend forever eating him out. Tony tasted delicious, whether it was his cock or sweet hole. He could lose his mind over how he tasted. But he was a man on a mission, not wanting to spend too much time on his knees. He glanced upwards and his tongue stopped moving for a moment. He had the perfect view of Tony’s cock, watching as it twitched and a bead of pre-come gathered on the tip.

The pause seemed to frustrate Tony. “Hurry the fuck up and get your ass moving, Rogers.” He snapped.

Without another second being wasted, Steve slicked his hole with an unnecessary amount of saliva and continued tonguing him open. The sounds coming from Tony were delicious. His breathless moans and pleas for Steve to keep going but get his cock inside him were sending shivers down Steve’s spine. Steve slid a single finger into his hole, not moving an inch. “Fuck yourself on my finger.” Steve growled. Tony whimpered, desperate to obey. He pushed his hips down, moaning like a whore as he did as he was told and fucked himself on the single finger inside his ass. Eventually, three more fingers joined the first. He made no move to stretch him out, knowing that the wild way Tony moved against his hand was more than enough. When he was satisfied, Steve tore his fingers out of his pink hole. He rose onto his feet, unzipping his pants. He spit into his hand, rubbing himself until he was nice and slick.

Then, without a second thought, he shoved into Tony. Not stopping until he was buried. Tony shouted, wrapping his arms around his neck. He whimpered against him, running his lips desperately over whatever was within his reach. Steve reached down to wrap a hand around the base of his own cock, denying himself the pleasure of pouring himself deep inside Tony. There was no way he had come that far to come so soon.

As he waited for Tony to adjust after a month without sex, he leaned forward to breathe into his ear. “I’m goin’ to fuck you. So hard that you won’t be able to sit for a fuckin’ week. By the end of this, you’re goin’ to be crying for my cock inside your pretty ass. After I fill your hole, you’re goin’ to get on your knees and worship my cock. Because that’s where you belong. On your knees only for me. No one can fuck you like I do. No one has the patience to work you the way you like, teasing you for hours on end and denying you the right to come. But I don’t care if you come or not. You’re here for _my_ pleasure. Do I make myself clear?” He made sure to exaggerate his accent, knowing how crazy it made Tony.

Tony was panting wetly against his collarbone. He nodded furiously, sucking a mark on his body. “Yes, sir.” He breathed.

That was enough for Steve to lose whatever control he had. He pulled out until only the tip of his cock was left inside him. Before Tony could complain, Steve was slamming into him over and over again. Each thrust forced a whimper from Tony. He was crying out, throwing his head back in pleasure. All that mattered in that moment was Steve fucking into him, not caring whether or not he came. Being used like some sex toy only aroused him even more. He could feel the edge of that beautiful cliff nearing, a familiar heat gathering.

He dug his nails into his back, leaving blood in their wake. Steve hissed at the sting and leaned forward, moaning loudly as he continued pounding into the willing body beneath him, relentlessly abusing his prostate. Then he sunk his teeth into Tony’s shoulder and that was what pushed the brunette over the edge. He came violently, his back arching against the workbench and his throat straining as he let out a loud scream. “Steve! Steve! Steve!” He cried out. He clenched down around Steve’s cock and Steve blacked out, coming hard into his lover.

A couple seconds later, he managed to regain consciousness. He kissed the bite mark he had left on his shoulder and ran his tongue along the blood that was pooling there. A weak moan slipped past Tony’s lips. Steve pushed himself up, holding his body up with his hands. Tony was a total wreck. White covering his stomach. He hummed in satisfaction when he noticed the tears staining his cheeks. He bent forward, licking the droplets up.

“Steve…” The genius breathed, obviously having no energy to even move.

Steve pulled himself out, moaning as he watched a generous amount of come drip out of Tony's gaping hole. His lover whined at the sudden loss and moved his hips around. "No..." He slurred.

"Come on, honey. I'm going to take you to bed. We can rest and talk about this later, okay?" He cleaned him as best he could with what he had and tucked himself back into his pants, squirming at the rough fabric against his sensitive member.

Tony reached out for him weakly. "But you said... on my knees... Steve." He whimpered.

But Steve decided he would save that particular activity for another day. He reached under him and lifted him, carrying him bridal style. Tony laid his head on his shoulder, unable to keep his eyes open as Steve moved through the tower and towards their bedroom. No one was around to witness the stubborn Tony Stark allowing himself to be carried. But he was beyond exhausted in the best way possible. A single tear slipped past his cheek. He pressed his face against his shoulder, willing for the tears to go away.

It was useless. He refused to release Steve when he tried to lay him on the bed. He didn't want Steve to see him crying. Though he was positive Steve could feel it due to the damp spot on his shirt. He was shaking, trembling in his arms. Sex was not important, not in the slightest. He could go without sex and he would manage because he loved Steve more than anything. But he was denied sex for all the wrong reasons. He had no idea how insecure he had become until the deed was done and he felt complete for the first time in a weeks.

Steve maneuvered them, not pushing his crying lover away. He was consumed with guilt. He was always messing up, hurting Tony over and over again. Steve wanted to apologize for making Tony wait so long. His own insecurities made him suffer, desperate enough to avoid the simplest and most innocent touch. It must have been killing him. Not being able to hold Steve whenever he pleased. Not being able to kiss him or touch him. He knew how important touch was to Tony. Whether it was the simple brush of his fingers or a light kiss on the cheek, Tony needed the constant reassurances to know that Steve was there. But Steve had failed him once again, making Tony doubt himself. He was amazed at how much the man clinging onto him loved him. He denied himself time and time again, wanting to respect Steve's decision to not have sex. Not only concerning sex but everything. Whenever Tony made a mistake, he rushed to correct it. Because he knew it would make Steve happy.

A realization hit Steve. He was sucking Tony dry, constantly making him feel like he wasn't good enough. He didn't need to lay his hands on him to be abusing him. He could feel shame welling in his chest. Yet even as he took and took, Tony kept giving even when he had nothing left to give. Steve had promised to be better, swore that he would be perfect for him. But he had done nothing. He continued hurting him. Most of the times he had seen Tony cry was because of something he did.

"I'm so sorry." He croaked, wrapping his arms around him.

Tony continued crying silently, not wanting anything more than to feel Steve against him.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not the best but hey, I tried. It was on my mind so I decided to give it a shot. I hope you guys liked it! STAY TUNED FOR THE NEXT CHAPTER! <3


	22. Chapter 22

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SLIGHT TRIGGER WARNING! MENTIONS OF SELF-HARM! PLEASE DO NOT READ IF YOU ARE TRIGGERED BY THESE THINGS!

The first one to notice the marks was Natasha. She had been wrestling with Tony, fighting to shove his face against the carpet when his sleeve went up and revealed various cuts lining his arms. He panicked for a moment and shoved her away with more force than necessary. She slammed onto the ground, unable to take her eyes off his arm. A trembling hand yanked the sleeve back down. No one needed a degree to know that he was ashamed.

She was shocked. He had been clean for a while, almost two years. Yet he was covered in those marks like he had never stopped. She reached out to grab onto him but he was already running from the room and hiding in the safety of his workshop. The last time he had slipped up was a disaster. He needed to be hospitalized, having passed out from blood loss. The image of him laying on the bathroom floor, barely breathing was something she would never forget. He could have died and he knew that. When he opened his eyes, he looked disappointed. Like he wished he would have died. Only one person could help him. She unlocked her phone and dialed the number, holding the phone to her ear.

“Rhodes, we have a problem.”

oOo

  
A loud bang alerted Tony to someone entering the workshop. He turned his head to find a furious chocolate brown man standing there, his chest heaving. He looked as though he had run a marathon. “Honeybunch! What’re you doing here? I thought you were somewhere in the Middle East.” He was genuinely happy to see his best friend. But it seemed that he was more concerned than ecstatic. The man marched over, reaching out and pulling his shirt over his head.

“Rhodey, what-“ He fought against him but Rhodey had already seen what he was desperate to know. There must have been a million of them covering his entire body. Some of them fresh like he had done them only a couple minutes ago. Tony turned his head to the side, unable to meet what was most likely a disappointed gaze. He quivered before him, trying to swallow the sobs that threatened to break free. He knew he had messed up big time. He spent the days hating himself for doing it.

Rather than punching him, Rhodey was pulling him towards his chest and running his hand over his head. The touch was comforting. He hadn’t realized how much he had missed Rhodey. He was the only person that could understand him even when he barely understood himself. He pressed his face into his chest and breathed.

“I missed you, buttercup.” He whispered.

Rhodey tightened his hold and nodded against the top of his head. “I missed you, too, Tones.” He breathed in response.

He held onto his best friend, a man that destroyed himself to make sure everyone around him was happy. Even though he pretended not to care about what the public had to say about him, Tony was deeply affected and believed everything they said. After spending his childhood without the love and attention he needed and wanted from his parents, he had become desperate for love. When he found someone that proved they were there for _Tony_ , he did whatever possible to keep them. It made Rhodey want to murder his parents and bring them back just so he could murder them again.

For several minutes, Rhodey rocked back and forth with Tony in his arms. He hummed some lullaby his mother used to sing when he was younger. It was something he did whenever Tony was stuck inside his head. Thankfully, it helped Tony loosen up and melt against him. “What happened?” Rhodey asked, keeping his voice soft.

“Nothing really. Same old, same old. I’m not good enough. I mess everything up. I wish I was dead. You know, the lovely things that come with depression.” The nonchalant manner showed how many times Tony had been through the same thing. He had become accustomed to feeling like he would rather die, not wanting to breathe another breath. Having Rhodey there made everything better. He could leave his head for a while.

Rhodey nodded his head. “I heard you found a good man and a smart kid.” He said.

“And how did you find out about that?” Tony leaned backwards, raising an eyebrow at his best friend.

Rhodey grabbed onto his head and shoved it back against his chest. “Pepper and I have lovely conversations. Our favorite topic happens to be you.” He replied, smirking as Tony whined.

“Not fair. At least let me be there when you’re talking about me.” He complained.

Rhodey poked his side. “Stop avoiding it. What about your fiancé and your son?” He questioned. “By the way, I’m pissed that I had to find out through Pepper. I expected you would run and tell me the chance you got. But you never mentioned it when I called.”

Tony was silent for a moment. “Steve and Peter are amazing, like a fucking dream. I love them so much. I didn’t want to jinx anything. If I lost them, I’m not sure what I’d do. I need them, Rhodey. I don’t want to be without them.” He confessed.

“I definitely want to meet the people that made you say those three words. You were practically allergic to love.” Rhodey teased.

Tony smiled but there was sorrow behind it. “I’m worried about them leaving. I keep screwing things up. I freaked out because Steve was paying more attention to the cat. By the way, we got a cat. Her name is Wednesday and she’s a fucking menace to society. Then I got worked up for no reason because he didn’t want to have sex. Peter caught us having sex, it was unbelievable awkward. So I understood why he didn’t want to have sex for a while. But… I don’t know, Rhodey. I’m scared he’s going to decide he deserves better and leave.” He blinked away the tears. He needed to stop crying so much. The headaches were not helping.

“Tones, I haven’t met the guy but the way Pepper talks about him tells me that he’s head over heels for you. Come out of your head and join society. You spend so much time in there. You don’t need to hurt yourself like this.” He ran his fingers over the marks on his stomach, wincing as Tony moved away from the painful touch. “Is he hurting you? Is that why you’re doing this to yourself? Because I swear, I’ll kick his ass.” He growled.

Tony shook his head, his eyes wide. “No way! Steve would never lay a hand on me. He’s not that kind of person. Honestly, I think you’re going to like him. He should be back soon. He went out to have lunch with Peter. I was working on a project so I couldn’t go.” He gestured to some contraption on the workbench behind him.

“Then why hasn’t he noticed? Natasha said she’s the only one that’s seen the cuts. She asked Steve if there was anything going on and he said no. Apparently, the guy can’t lie for shit. So she believed him.” Rhodey said.

Tony looked at the ground. “I may have been spending time in the workshop so I don’t have to see him. I mean, he comes down and tries to lure me out but I don’t want him seeing that I’m…” A monster. Nothing but a broken man. “Like I said I’m scared he’s going to leave. Why would he want someone like me in Peter’s life?” Rhodey knew that he had spent a lot of time thinking about that.

“You need to talk to him. How are you supposed to get married when you’re keeping things from him? If he loves you as much as I’ve heard he does, he’s not going to leave because you made… several mistakes.” Rhodey began leading him out of the workshop. “We are going to wait from him to come back and I’m going to spend some time with my new nephew while you two talk. Stop hurting yourself. I don’t mean literally, though I would like that to stop. Quit stressing out over possibilities. Maybe this, maybe that. You won’t know until it happens, Tones.”

Seemed like he was done hiding.

oOo

  
Peter was beyond ecstatic to meet another uncle. He was bouncing around Rhodey, asking him a million questions like how many bad guys he fought and if he could go on a mission with him. While he was distracted, Tony nodded towards the bedroom and Steve followed him down the hallway. He was nauseous. The anxiety was strangling him. He was worried that Steve would lose his mind and leave, taking Peter with him. He was sweating by the time they entered the bedroom.

“Honey, are you okay? You look sick.” Steve asked, placing his hand against his forehead.

Tony shook his head and took his hand, holding onto him tightly. “I need to tell you something and I want you to promise not to freak out, okay?” He rushed out.

Panic was clear on Steve’s face. He tried his best to nod but he was nervous. “I can promise to _try_ not to freak out.” He said.

That was better than nothing. Tony took a step back and grabbed onto the bottom of his shirt. He inhaled deeply before pulling it off. He heard the pained gasp from Steve but he refused to stop until he was completely bare. He never got to that point. Removing his shirt while he was trembling and choking on sobs was hard. He dropped his hands, looking up at Steve. He reached out, wrapping his arms around his waist.

“Please don’t leave. I know I said I would talk to you when I was feeling like this but the thoughts were overwhelming and I acted without thinking. After that, I continued and this happened. I promise to stop. I’ll never do it again. Just please don’t leave.” Steve was silent the entire time he pleaded. Even when he stopped babbling, Steve remained silent. He didn’t move to touch him either. Like he thought Tony was disgusting and ugly.

Panic shot through him like electricity. “Steve? Steve, please. Say something. Anything.” Tony pleaded.

Steve pushed him away and moved to the bed, collapsing on the mattress. He leaned forward and rested his elbows against his knees, covering his face. He was controlling his breathing, trying hard not to freak out. He promised that he would try. Once he was positive he wouldn't crush Tony in his arms, he spoke. “Come here.” He whispered, reaching a hand out for Tony to take.

The brunette was quick to grab onto him. He allowed himself to be pulled until he was seated on his lap and pressed tightly against his chest. Silence came over the entire room. He focused on the sound of Steve breathing, wanting to burn his touch into his memory. There was a chance that it would be the last time Steve held him. His hands grabbed onto his shirt.

“I’m not upset.” Steve ran a hand over his back in a soothing manner. “I hate that you feel the need to hurt yourself. I know that urges are hard to handle, I have problems with not drinking. So I’m not going to flip out on you. I’m worried about you. I love you and I don’t want…” _I don’t want you._ “ I don’t want to come home and find you dead. That would destroy me. It would destroy Peter. I love you so much, honey. So fucking much. I’m not going anywhere. I’m going to stick by you and help you through this. Everything will be okay, I promise.”

It seemed like there was always something going on. Whether it was between them or something with Peter, something was always going wrong. It made Tony wonder if he was a good match for Steve. Maybe he was the reason everything was screwing up. But he was selfish and could not find the strength to leave him. Even though it would be for the best, he refused to let Steve go. So he tightened his hold on his shirt and kissed his neck.

He would try to be better. For Steve and Peter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading yet another chapter. I wanted to speak directly to you guys for a moment. For those of the readers that struggle with self-harm and/or depression, I want you to know that I am here for you. I understand what it's like to be so low that you are desperate for an escape from reality. Know that no matter who you are or where you are, I love you. You are beautiful and amazing. You are worth everything and more. Stay strong!


	23. Chapter 23

The couple entered the living room to discover that Peter was surrounded by his uncles, his aunts standing to the side. The conversation made Steve laugh. They were making a desperate attempt to convince Peter why they were the better uncle. The five year old decided that Rhodey was his favorite uncle. The reason? Because he could shoot bad guys. Of course, Bucky was not going to stand for that. He took his shirt off and flexed his prosthetic arm.

“I shot and blew bad guys up. I even have an _awesome_ arm. How many cool guys do you know can crush a head just by twitchin’?” He smiled when he noticed Peter was thinking about what he said. His head cocked to the side, deep in thought. But Clint was speaking before he could decide. “I’m the best shot here.  _I_ never miss a target. These guys shoot and miss. So I’m obviously the better uncle.” He rushed in.

He was shoved to the side by Thor. “Do not allow these peasants to lead you astray. I have fought against creatures not of this realm, vanquished the most powerful beings this world has ever seen! To suggest that I am not the better uncle would be a grave mistake.” The blonde declared, pounding against his chest. The creatures and powerful beings he was speaking about were mice. Everyone knew that Thor was scared of one thing and one thing only. Mice.

“Cool…” Peter was amazed.

Bruce was there, waving several documents around. “We science together.” Was all he said.

When Peter jumped onto the scientist, the entire room groaned. Except for his aunts and parents. It had been a long time since Tony could laugh freely. He was holding onto Steve, his face hidden in his shoulder. The chuckles vibrating through Steve caused him to shake along with him. A hand ran over the back of his head. He calmed down and focused on the warmth Steve radiated.

Another hand landed on his lower back. He turned his head to the side, finding Natasha standing there with a delicate smile. It was rare when she expressed affection and when she did, it was always towards Tony or Peter. “Okay?” She asked softly, glancing towards Steve then turning her head to look at Rhodey. Tony nodded, reaching out to grab onto her hand. He remembered when he was the one asking that question. Back then, Natasha had grabbed onto his hand and simply smiled at him.

He squeezed her hand lightly, letting her know that he would be okay. Natasha nodded her head and returned to where the others were gathered. She kicked Clint who had collapsed on the ground, sobbing dramatically into the carpet. Defeat was never sweet. Even Bucky was whining at Darcy. “I helped raise ‘im. How could he choose some guy over me? I bought ‘im loads of ice cream and carried ‘im around Manhattan. I even changed his diapers!” He complained. Darcy could only laugh.

“Go spend time with them. I know you barely get the chance to see Rhodey. I’m going to head out for a few. I should be back in fifteen minutes, half an hour tops.” Steve said, nudging Tony towards the family.

Tony raised his head to look at him. “Promise?” Even though Steve had swore he would never leave, there would always be the fear that he would change his mind.

He crinkled his nose when Steve kissed him there. “Promise. Help Peter out before his uncles kidnap him and lock him away in some basement in Germany.” The blonde chuckled. The brunette watched him for a moment before turning to join the others. He jumped onto Rhodey and started babbling about what had been going on since he had last seen him. Steve stood there, watching him smile genuinely. Then he turned, heading out.

Natasha was watching him. She had rescued Peter from his uncles, bouncing him around on her hip. Tony said that everything was okay, that nothing was wrong. But there was a look in those blue eyes. Like he was conflicted over something. She would have chased him down, forced an explanation out of the man, but she understood the need to breathe without people hovering.

She focused her attention on Peter. He was humming against her chest, running his hand over her sweater with a smile. How he managed to sneak into her heart had shocked her in the beginning. She had never been fond of children. Most of them were delicate, unable to handle the harsh reality of the world. But Peter was different. Already he had gone through things that most children could not comprehend, his mind worked on a separate level than children his age. He understood that the world was not perfect and he knew the importance of finding joy in the little things. He reminded Natasha of Tony when he was younger. So it no longer surprised her at how he managed to destroy the carefully placed walls she had built.

The afternoon was exciting. Enough that Peter was exhausted. As Natasha bounced him lightly, he closed his eyes and fell asleep with his nose buried in her neck. Once the others realized that the five year old had fallen asleep, the entire room lowered their volume and watched him for a couple minutes. Rhodey and Clint were watching how Natasha treated him as though he was were the most precious thing in the world.

“I’m surprised. You were anti-children like Tony.” Rhodey said, nudging the genius beside him.

Natasha smirked, holding her nephew close. “Peter is different. I’m sure you noticed.” She replied.

The Colonel nodded in agreement. “He reminds me of Tony.” The entire room nodded in agreement. Though the world claimed that the Stark was selfish, each of them knew better. Tony had become someone important to them. The brunette blushed and scratched the back of his head. “Come on. Peter’s not a menace like I was.” He disagreed.

“Despite my tongue, he has not judged me. He loves me for my differences and in that way, he is like you.” Thor smacked Tony on the back hard enough to knock the wind out of him.

Clint moved to add. “He has never questioned my uneasiness with the ground. The second we head to the park, he points to the trees. I know it’s because he wants me to be comfortable.” He said.

“And even though I have lost my temper once in the time I have known him, he wasn’t scared. He hugged me.” Bruce glanced down at his hands with a smile. “No one has ever done that. People run away in fear but he glued himself to me until I could get my breathing under control.”

“Remember when you gave me the arm? How he cried because he knew I could finally be happy? He knew that havin’ no arm hurt me. Not here,” Bucky patted his shoulder. “But here.” Then he placed his hand over his heart.

Darcy wrapped an arm around her boyfriend. “And when I was embarrassed over how my body looked, Peter told me that everyone was different and that was okay. He liked different people anyways. Said they were ten times more fun. How he knew what I was worried about still confuses me.” She said softly.

“I get nightmares because of the things I’ve done. I’ve only known him half a day and he managed to make me feel like I’m not a monster.” Rhodey wrapped an arm around his best friend, holding him close.

Natasha smiled at them. “Only two people have ever gave me the courage to stand on my own two feet. One of them is him and the other person is you. Tony, how can you not see how important you are? Especially to everyone in this room. You saved our lives and gave us a home, gave us a family. We were alone before you came around. Then you gave us not one but two people to add to this insane family of ours. Steve is an amazing man with a heart of gold. I have no doubt in my mind that Peter will become an incredible man. Why? Because he has the best parents in the world. I think I can speak for all of us when I say thank you for everything.” It was the first time she had spoken freely about her emotions, becoming sentimental.

No one noticed that Peter had woken up until he turned around and reached out for his father. “Thank you, Daddy.” He murmured, humming when Tony rushed to take him from Natasha. Tony pressed a kiss against his forehead, placing his cheek on the top of his head.

“Stop with the feelings. You’re going to make me cry for the millionth time this week.” Tony whined. Everyone started laughing, surrounding the brunette in a massive hug. It was amazing to finally have people waiting for him at home.

A light knock alerted them to Steve’s return. Everyone turned, snickering at the blushing blonde standing in the doorway with flowers. Despite the obvious crimson color on his cheeks, he was determined. He approached his fiancé and reached through the group to grab onto his hand. “Can I speak to Daddy for a second, Pete?” Steve asked, looking at him.

Once Peter nodded, Natasha took him from his father. The group headed towards the kitchen but the couple knew they were listening. Steve guided Tony to the couch and crouched down on his knees. Tony was watching him with confusion written across his face. “What’s going on?” He asked.

Steve inhaled deeply. “I have been a horrible, horrible fiancé.” He began.

“What? Steve, no-“ Steve shook his head. “Let me finish, please.” He asked.

Tony sighed heavily, nodding for him to continue. “I have been a horrible, horrible fiancé. As much as I love you, I have been treating you like crap. Making you cry time and time again because I’m nothing but a stubborn fool. Last week was the last straw.” _He bought me flowers to soften the blow. He’s breaking up with me. Shit, what am I supposed to do? I can’t handle this. Fuck!_ “I would like to go away with you for a week. I rented out a cabin upstate, thought it would be a good idea to be able to devote some time to each other without anything to distract us. What do you think?” To say Tony was shocked was an understatement. “Oh! Here, these are for you.” Steve handed him the flowers with a wide smile.

“I-I…” Tony was too shocked to speak. He accepted the flowers, holding them close to his chest. “I understand if you would rather not. I know I’ve been an asshole and I wouldn’t blame you if…” Steve pinched the bridge of his nose. “If you wanted to leave, I wouldn’t blame you. But I'm not going to let you leave without fighting for you. So I would really like if you could give me a chance to make it up to you. To start being the man you deserve. So what do you say?” He looked hopeful.

Tony nodded furiously, reaching out to hug him. Steve buried his face in his hair and breathed deeply. _I haven’t ruined this yet. He’s giving me a chance. I can’t mess it up._ “Thank you.” He whispered.

The brunette rested his chin on his shoulder. “I don’t want to lose you.” He said softly.

“I never meant to make you doubt yourself. Christ, did I really screw up that badly?” Steve tightened his hold on him.

Tony shook his head. “You haven’t screwed anything up. I’m the one that should be apologizing. I keep stressing over nonsense. I should respect your decisions and not complain. I know you would never intentionally hurt me. You’re the love of my life, my soul mate. There’s no way you could ever do something like that to me.” He said.

Steve could only hold him closer, whispering sweet nothings into his ear. He was going to be the man Tony deserved. He knew that the man in his arms was hurting, falling apart. Every time something went wrong, he assumed that he was the one to blame. But Steve knew that the last couple of weeks had been his doing. There was nothing about Tony that needed changing. He was perfect the way he was. But like he had thought so many times before, he didn’t need to hit him to be abusing him. He was honored that Tony was the father to his son. Even more so that he was the man Tony had chosen to love.

Somehow, both of them ended up on the carpet. Tony was seated on his lap with his arms wrapped around Steve’s middle and his head resting on his chest. Steve had his arms wrapped around him, rubbing his hand up and down his back. Rhodey entered the room without the others following him close behind. He sat down on the couch across from them, staring directly at Steve.

“We haven’t had the chance to talk. You are going to listen to me. I want no interruptions from either of you, understood?” The couple nodded. “That stubborn man right there is my best friend. I would do anything for him. That includes murdering anyone that dares to hurt him and hiding the body. No one would know. But you make him happy. If I heard correctly, you said you’ve been making him upset lately. As much as I want to punch you in the face, I’m going to restrain myself because you are also a part of the reason he stopped drinking. Tony is one of the most generous people I have ever met. He has saved my life in more ways than one. No one will stand in my way when it comes to making sure he is safe. Not even you. So I’m going to give you the chance to apologize properly. I’m here for a month, I will watch Peter with the others while you two head upstate. If I even _think_ you are hurting him, I will not hesitate to break every bone in your body. Is that understood?” Steve nodded weakly, tightening his hold on Tony.

The menacing look was replaced with a warm smile. “Good! I like my nephew and would hate to see him upset because his father was dumb.” He chimed happily.

“Quit threatening my fiancé. I need him to live until the wedding.” Tony teased, snuggling further into the strong arms wrapped around him.

Rhodey rolled his eyes. “Whatever. Go pack your things. I want you gone by the time I say cheesecake.” He ordered, pointing towards the hallway.

The veteran jumped onto his feet, carrying Tony out of the living room. Tony was laughing, holding onto Steve as he ran towards their bedroom. Rhodey leaned back against the couch, running a hand over his face. Someone sat down beside him. He opened his eyes to find Natasha staring in the direction the couple had gone in.

“He makes him happy.” She stated.

Rhodey could only hum in agreement.

He had never seen Tony laugh like that.


	24. Chapter 24

Steve could barely restrain himself long enough to pack their things. He had seated Tony on the bureau, stealing kisses as he went around the room. Each time he received a delighted laugh from his lover which only made him want to kiss him even more. He wanted him to do nothing other than smile and laugh during the week they spent upstate together. He was determined to make him the happiest man alive.

Somehow, he managed to shove whatever was needed into the suitcases. Then he turned around and crouched. “Onto my back. Come on.” He said, turning his head to smile at Tony.

Tony was not moving. “Absolutely not. I’m not Peter, you know. A grown man like me should not piggybacking on anyone.” He went to stand.

“I want to feel you against me. Come on, honey. I don’t want to spend a single second without you.” A low blow but Steve knew it would persuade his petulant lover. Strong arms wrapped around his neck and he stood, feeling Tony hold onto him tighter. Steve was drunk on happiness. He managed to maneuver them so that he could hold Tony and drag the suitcases behind them.

Another wave of happiness washed over him as Tony pressed his face against his neck and breathed deeply. Without being able to see, Steve could feel the heat from his blush. He entered the living room, sending a sharp glare to everyone. He managed to convince Tony to climb onto his back and he was not about to start the vacation with an embarrassed Tony. “You’re carryin’ Daddy like me!” Peter exclaimed happily.

Steve chuckled. “Yes, honey. Even Daddy likes being carried around sometimes.” He replied.

He noticed the concern his son wore. He released the suitcases and reached out to place a hand on his head. “Daddy and I are going to be back before you can say Captain America likes to dance with his socks on his head.” Peter smiled at the ridiculous statement but reached up to grab onto his hand.

“Promise to be careful on your trip?” He asked, tightening his grip.

Tony was the one to respond. “We promise, sweetheart. Make sure to have a lot of fun! I want to come back and hear about all the things you did while we were gone. Make sure to make life hard for Uncle Clint. No one likes him.” He winced when Steve pinched his thigh.

Clint was busy shouting about how plenty people liked him. But Peter nodded, watching them wearily. “Okay, I’m goin’ to be a good boy. When you come back, can I sleep with you guys in bed?” He asked softly.

“Of course, honey. Who’s going to be your bed buddy until we come home?” Steve questioned.

Peter grinned widely. “Aunt Tasha! She said we’re goin’ to watch movies and play board games and tell scary stories and eat lots of cookies! Only durin’ movie night though. Not before eatin’ a proper meal or in the mornin’.” He was obviously excited to spend time with his aunt.

“Good boy. We love you and we’ll see you soon.” Steve kissed him goodbye, leaning down so Tony could kiss him too, and headed to the garage. “Who’s going to be watching over my baby?” Tony had wondered who would be in charge of Stark Industries while he was gone. One rule was that there would be no phones or anything electronic during their vacation. So he was forced to hand the reigns over to someone else.

Steve smiled. “Pepper said she missed being in charge of something other than her house. So she was more than willing to take over for the time being.” He answered, heading towards one of the trucks.

He crouched down so Tony could slide onto the passenger seat. Then he tossed the suitcases into the trunk, settled into the drivers seat. “Ready?” He asked, turning his head to face his lover. His breath was taken away. Tony was seated there, smiling at him like he was the most beautiful thing in the universe. His expression was soft and his body was relaxed. He reached out to grab onto his hand, lifting it to kiss his knuckles. “Yeah.” He breathed. “I’m ready.”

Steve pulled him over, slamming their lips together. He kissed him until neither of them could breathe. Tony whimpered lightly when he leaned back, running his thumb along his lower lip. “I love you.” Steve whispered, pecking him once more.

“Love you too.” Tony slurred. Kissing always got to him. He slumped back against the seat, leaning his head against the window. But his eyes were glued on Steve. Steve tried his best to ignore him and started the journey upstate. Eventually, Tony seemed to calm down enough to simply hold his hand while he drove. He played with his fingers while they spoke. It had been a while since they had the chance to just talk. It was beginning to feel like when they first met, when they were merely friends and not lovers. Tony could tease him relentlessly, hoping that he would get that blush he loved so much. But Steve was already accustomed to how vulgar Tony could be, rolling his eyes as his lover tried desperately to get him to react.

Half an hour into the drive, Tony was poking his cheek with a smirk. “Come on, Stevie. Tell me something embarrassing about you. Something no one knows about. I need some blackmail for when you decide to be a little shit.” He said.

Steve batted his hand away. “You’re going to make me drive into a ditch and let me tell you, that’s not exactly fun.” He said, “Plus! There’s nothing embarrassing about me. I’m perfect. How could someone like me ever do anything embarrassing like jump out a window thinking it would impress the cool kids at school?” Tony started laughing uncontrollably.

“N-No way! Steve, p-please. Oh my god. Tell me that isn’t true. Please!” He cackled, wrapping his arms around his middle to soothe the pain he was getting from laughing so hard.

Steve pouted. “I was eight years old and had no friends. My mom wanted me to play outside instead of spending spring break inside. So I went out and this group of really cool kids were playing in the abandoned building down the block. I decided I should give it a shot. Somehow, they talked me into jumping out a window. I broke my leg and my mom never told me to go outside again.” He smirked, remembering how mortified his mother had been.

“My soon-to-be husband is a dork. A reckless dork! I’m cursed, I tell you! Cursed! If I told you to jump out the window right now, would you do it?” Tony grinned, leaning over to kiss his cheek. He wasn’t expecting an answer. At least not anything other than some eye rolling and a groan.

But Steve answered without a second thought. “I would do anything for you. Especially jump out a window. As long as I get to see you smile, I don’t mind.” He said honestly.

Tony's grin melted into a gentle smile. He weaved their fingers together, holding onto his hand. There was nothing he could say that had not been said a million times before. So he looked out the passenger window, smiling as the scenery passed by. For the first time in months, both of them were relaxed. They could breathe and not feel an overwhelming emotion burdening them. Tony lifted their hands and pressed a light kiss against his palm. He continued kissing his hand, wanting to tell him without words how much he meant to him.

Steve understood. He brought their hands over to his own lips and kissed Tony's hand, smiling softly. "This was an amazing idea and our vacation hasn't even started yet." Tony hummed.

"I agree. Maybe you should get some sleep because I don't plan on letting you sleep at all tonight." He was pleased when he noticed Tony blush deeply and yanked his hand away, turning onto his side. "Such a jerk..." Tony mumbled, closing his eyes.

Steve laughed.


	25. Chapter 25

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING! WARNING! WARNING! THIS CHAPTER HAS SEXUAL CONTENT! WARNING! 
> 
> The warnings make me laugh. I don't know, I feel like I can hear an alarm sounding in my head. No, I'm not crazy. Well, maybe I am but who cares? ONTO STONY!

An hour and a half into the ride, the brunette became even more curious as to the destination. “Where are we headed? I feel like you’re taking me far away so you can murder me or something.” Tony chuckled when Steve rolled his eyes. “I’m not telling you and there’s absolutely nothing you can do to persuade me. You’re going to have to wait for us to get there.” He replied.

He could sense that his fiancé started planning something devious. Of course, he continued driving to show that he was not nervous, but he could feel his heart racing. What was he going to do? “There’s absolutely nothing I could do?” Tony breathed into his ear. Steve knew he must have been distracted by his thoughts because he failed to notice him leaning towards him.

The blonde shook his head, placing a hand on his lover and pushing him back into his seat. He knew that if he opened his mouth, Tony would know that he was winning. Steve tightened his hands on the wheel and narrowed his eyes on the road. But one thing he knew about Tony was that not never surrendered. That was reason Stark Industries had become successful in the time he had taken over after his father. An innocent kiss pressed against his cheek or at least it seemed like an innocent kiss. But Steve knew him better than there. He had an ulterior motive.

A whimper slipped past his lips when he felt a hand press against his crotch. He squirmed under the touch, attempting to push himself further into the seat. He could only move so far. “I think you’re wrong. I think there is something I can do to persuade you.” Tony whispered.

Steve found himself turning his head to nose along his cheek. But he needed to remember that he was driving and becoming distracted would result in an accident. He had enough accidents to last him a lifetime. “I’m driving. You’re going to make me crash.” He gritted out, clenching his teeth tightly together.

The hand disappeared from his crotch. He was not about to admit that he was disappointed. He focused entirely on the road, not sparing a single glance towards his lover. One look would make him want to pull over and screw him unconscious. Fifteen minutes passed by. He was beginning to think that maybe for once Tony listened and would wait patiently. So he risked a glance. Deep down, he knew he had made a mistake.

Tony had propped his feet on the dashboard, undoing his pants enough that he could reach inside and stroke his erection. Teasing himself as he stared heatedly at Steve. That was enough to cause Steve to search for the closest motel. The nearest one was ten minutes away. He sped down the highway, his heart beating loud in his ears. Soft whimpers and barely contained moans signaled that Tony was nearing his release. Steve reached out, ripping his hand out of his pants.

“You are going to sit there and wait until we get to the motel.” He growled. He knew that Tony was regretting having tried to tease him. He squirmed around, making breathy sounds and trying to seek friction.

Eventually, the couple arrived at the motel. Steve made him wait in the car while he went inside. The person behind the counter would have definitely known what was going on and he was not sharing the intimate details about his love life with anyone. Once he paid for the room, he raced outside and scooped Tony out of the car. The brunette whimpered, wrapping his arms around his neck.

“I should make you wait until we get to the cabin. Leave you desperate and wanting more. But that would be torturing myself.” He unlocked the door, dumping Tony on the ground the second they were inside.

Bright brown eyes focused on him. Shining, abused red lips were parted slightly. Steve moved past him and walked over to the bed, settling on the edge. He opened his legs and crooked his finger at Tony. “Crawl.” Was the simple demand.

It never failed to arouse him how submissive the infamous Tony Stark could become in the bedroom. He knew that he was seeing something that no one else had the pleasure of seeing. No, the Tony crawling towards him was only for him to see. Those lidded eyes and straining erection were for his eyes only. He inhaled deeply, trying not to give in and give Tony what he had been waiting for. He needed to teach him a lesson, show him how everything he did had consequences.

He knew he was being sadistic. He had already decided that Tony would not come until they reached the cabin. There were consequences for everything he did and Tony needed to learn that. The second Tony reached where he was seated, he grabbed onto his hair and yanked his head back. Light enough to be considered gentle, hard enough to promise pain. He ran his eyes over his exposed neck. He wanted nothing more than to mark him entirely, ensure that everyone knew exactly who he belonged to. But that would be pleasuring him. They had experimented, wanting to see if either of them could come untouched. Tony had proven that he could definitely do that.

He needed to be careful. “Would you like to hear your punishment for misbehaving?” He lowered his voice, knowing how much Tony loved it.

He watched as Tony nodded weakly, his eyes focused on the obvious bulge before him. Steve moved his hand to wrap around his throat, feeling the whine against his palm. “You are going to please me, make me come with your mouth only. But you are not going to come. Not until we reach the cabin.” He tightened his hand when Tony made an obvious sound of protest. “You knew what you were getting into. One single rule though. If you come, I’m not touching you the entire time we are up here. Not a single touch. No kisses, not hugs, no groping. Nothing. Is that understood, Anthony?”

Tony nodded. “Yes, sir.” He breathed.

Steve removed his hand and leaned back, raising an eyebrow at Tony. “Get to work then.” He gestured to his erection.

He threw his head, groaning loudly. Tony yanked his pants enough for him to wrap his lips around his head, sucking lightly before swallowing the rest of his cock. His head bobbed up and down, unrestrained moans the only sounds filling the room. Steve screwed his eyes shut. The sensations were edging towards overwhelming. The wet heat wrapped around his member, the sounds Tony was making vibrating from the tip of his cock to the bottom of his spine. Everything was cold in comparison to his mouth. He bucked up, trying to drive further down his throat. He jumped when he felt familiar hands cup his balls, massaging them as he sucked happily.

He needed to stop looking at Tony in certain situations. What he saw on the ground made his mouth dry. Tony was watching him through long eyelashes, eyes black with lust, his cheeks hollowed around the base of his cock, saliva trickling past his chin and making its way down his neck, bucking desperately for some form of friction. Steve had seen him on his knees more times than he could count. Something about his cock drove Tony mad. Tony even mentioned that sucking him made him higher than any drug ever could.

What he failed to notice was that Steve felt the same. Nothing tasted better than Tony. Whether it was his cock or the inside of his mouth, he tasted amazing. He was enough to drive him mad with desire. Just thinking about that made him buck, driving himself deeper into the wet heat around him. Tony gagged slightly, placing his hands on his thighs. He squeezed lightly, letting him know that it was alright. Then he released the cock that he had been sucking on and ran his tongue along the tip, moaning as the bead of pre-come entered his mouth. That was all Steve needed. He grabbed onto his hair and went to town. He fucked into his mouth, basking in the gagging sounds coming from Tony. He continued thrusting, racing towards the edge.

With one final thrust, he threw his head back and sunk his teeth into his lower lip, spilling down his throat. He released Tony from the iron grip. The genius coughed several times, resting his head on his thigh. He panted wetly, swallowing whatever oxygen he could. His hands from their place on Steve’s thighs.

“You okay?” Steve asked, straightening to look at his lover.

He chuckled. Tony tried his best to nod but he was boneless, lost in the haze. For a moment, Steve felt bad for not letting him come. His erection was purpling and he knew he was edging towards pain. But he needed to teach him a lesson. Messing with Steve was never a good idea. He ran his fingers through his hair, smiling as Tony moaned at the contact and pushed his hand further into the touch.

“Are you going to behave until we reach the cabin?” He asked, his voice soft and gentle.

Tony made another desperate attempt to nod. Steve tucked himself back into his pants and lifted him, carrying him out to the waiting truck. He was not surprised when he found that Tony had fallen asleep sometime between the room and the truck. He watched him for a moment, running his fingers through his hair. Once they got to the cabin, he would shower him with nothing but love. He deserved to be treated like royalty. He slid into the drivers seat and turned the truck on.

The drive was another two hours. Time seemed to pass by in silence, only broken by the light breathing coming from the unconscious man beside him. Steve was feeling high himself. Like no one could touch them. Tony made him feel like he was standing on top of the world, not because he was amazing with his mouth but because he made Steve feel like he was worth something. He genuinely believed he was worth something. He survived for a reason. That reason was to find Tony, to fall in love with him and create a beautiful future with him.

He stopped the car once he reached the cabin. He took a moment to appreciate the beauty around them. Since they had left the tower later in the evening, daylight would not be coming any time soon. There were nothing but trees for miles and a gorgeous lake was only a couple steps from the backdoor. Seemed he had done a good job with choosing a place. Ithaca, New York was gorgeous. He exited the truck and went around to the passenger side. He lifted Tony, chuckling as Tony snuffled and held onto him. The cabin was even more beautiful inside. They were surrounded by the smell of pine trees, soothed by the comfortable warmth inside.

“Steve…” Tony mumbled, tapping his fingers against his chest. “Steve…” He was pleading with him.

Steve carried him into the bedroom and lowered him onto the clean sheets. He stared at him, watching how Tony spread across the bed and raised his head to meet his eyes. A pout positioned itself on his face. “You said, Steve…” He reached out for him.

Steve moved so that Tony could pull him down to the bed. He hummed as Tony wrapped his arms around him, pressing their lips together. Neither of them were rushing, not even Tony. As long as he had been aroused, he was kissing Steve lazily and playing with the blonde hair on his nape. Steve never needed to wait longer than a couple of minutes to go again. Especially with Tony. He was practically ready to go any time Tony wanted.

He moved away from his addicting lips, smiling as Tony whined unhappily. But the whine was replaced with a breathless chuckle once Steve kissed his neck and began sucking a bruise there. He focused on the warmth his lover radiated, how Tony continued to play the hair on his nap. He was expecting Tony to want to rush things, save the love making for later, but he wanted to drag things out and drown in the sensations.

Steve ran his fingers along his sides and nipped along the skin of his neck, moving to suck multiple bruises along his shoulder. He then moved his hands to run underneath his shirt, moving it upwards until Tony was forced to take it off. Steve closed his eyes to collect himself. He was determined to make sure Tony came before he did. But Tony was laying underneath him, panting lightly. His hands had fallen from his neck, limp against the red sheets. Steve opened his eyes, seeing the undying devotion clear in the brown eyes watching him.

“I love you.” Steve whispered, crawling slowly down his body. “I love you so much.” Tony was smiling dreamily at him. “Never going to let you go, honey. Going to love you for the rest of my life. Going to make you never regret becoming my husband.” Steve ran his lips along his hipbone.

Tony reached down to massage his scalp. “Love you…” He sighed, turning his head to the side.

Steve knew that anything other than a blowjob was out of the question. He was not going to last long and would rather not come the second he slid into Tony. So he lowered the jeans his lover was wearing, humming happily as the purpling erection popped out. He blew lightly on the shaft, enjoying how Tony moaned at the sensation. But he had no intentions of sucking him until he was completely bare.

“Commando, huh.” He noticed that there was nothing between the jeans and cock. “Such a good boy. Ready for me.” He purred, nipping his thigh.

Tony nodded. “Always for you…” He breathed.

Steve could feel nothing but love for the man before him. He was desperate to please Steve, wanting to do whatever possible to keep him. It made Steve want to go back in time and take him away, keep him safe and sound somewhere he would be loved. But all he could do was shower him with the affection he never had as a child, give him the love he had been waiting for. He decided not to play with him. Tony had been patient, knowing that whatever Steve did would be amazing.

Steve placed his legs over his shoulder and swallowed Tony down to the base of his cock. Tony shouted, shooting upwards to hold onto his head. His thighs tightened around his neck but Steve could only moan in response. There was nothing he loved more than Tony losing control. Tony knotted his fingers into his hair, crying out repeatedly as Steve drew the sounds out with his mouth.

“Steve. Steve. Steve!” Tony whimpered. “‘m gonna…” That was as far as he got before he was shooting down Steve’s throat.

Steve happily swallowed whatever Tony gave him and released his cock with a wet pop. He licked the head, causing Tony to whimper. The brunette collapsed against the bed, breathing heavily. Before Steve could settle beside him, he had fallen asleep with a satisfied smile on his face. Steve kissed his cheek and wrapped his arms around him, pulling him close.

Soon enough, Steve was out like a light.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am having fun with this. Probably too much fun. I don't know. The idea of Tony eager to please Steve, whether it's in the bedroom or not, makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside. I think it's because he's normally domineering in his daily life that seeing him become submissive would be unheard of. Because that would mean offering himself entirely to the person, letting them see past his carefully placed walls. UGH! I love it. I have a thing for a pliant Tony as you can most likely tell. Anyways! I'll see you guys in the next chapter. THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO READ THIS! It means a lot to me. I hope I'm doing this story justice. UNTIL NEXT TIME! <3


	26. Chapter 26

Sunlight greeted the brunette. His warm chocolate brown eyes opened, watching how the rays of sunlight illuminated the bedroom. His entire body was relaxed. He could feel the cotton sheets pressed against his skin, the scent that could only belong to Steve already a comforting presence among the pillows. He turned his head and inhaled deeply, smiling contently.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you smile like that in the morning.” A shiver ran down his spine. Tony rolled onto his back to find Steve standing in the doorway with a tray. There were pancakes and from what he could smell, bacon. His mouth watered. It had been hours since he had last eaten. His eyes zeroed in on the coffee he knew was inside one of the mugs. He reached out, making grabby hands for the coffee.

Once Steve placed the tray on the bed, Tony was gulping the scolding hot coffee down. Steve would have been concerned about how his mouth and throat would react to the heat, but he had learned in the beginning that Tony had some kind of coffee superpower. No matter how hot the coffee was, he could inhale the contents of the mug within seconds.

The exasperated smile he wore transformed into one of fondness. Tony was smiling around the corner of the mug, obviously delighted. Steve lowered the mug so that he could press a kiss against his lips. He smirked when Tony made an attempt to deepen the kiss. Steve was more than happy to obliged and slipped his tongue into his mouth, swallowing the happy moans his lover released. He pulled away much too soon, causing Tony to whine.

“Breakfast now. Play later.” Steve simply said, gesturing to the breakfast he had prepared.

Tony stared at the plates for several seconds before looking at Steve. “You made me breakfast?” He seemed genuinely shocked. Steve nodded, slightly confused. “Is there something wrong?” He asked, examining the food. He was about to take the tray to the kitchen to sort through the food when Tony wrapped a hand around his wrist and forced him to stay on the bed.

“There’s nothing wrong. It’s just… You’ve never cooked for me before. I was surprised. I figured you were a horrible cook but this looks delicious.” He reached past him and stole a piece of bacon, popping the strip into his mouth. He moaned happily, oblivious to the way Steve was focused on the sheets below them. _What the hell have I been doing?_ He shook his head to clear the thoughts. “I promised to be better for you. I’m positive cooking is on the list to becoming a better man.” He said, kissing his cheek.

Before he could move away, Tony placed a hand on the back of his neck. He turned his head until their noses were beside each other. “I’m not the kind of man that would stay with someone that was beneath me. Granted there aren’t many people like that but I count horrible partners as people beneath me. Along with pedophiles and rapists but that’s besides the point. You are not horrible. You make me smile and laugh, I can be the father I never had to our beautiful son, I can stop abusing my liver and I’m positive it’s thanking you every single day. I have never been happier than I am in this very moment. Before I met you, I could barely stomach the thought of love. I figured it was something I would never have so why waste time talking about it. But here I am. You’ve made me into a sentimental mess, Rogers.” He grinned, nuzzling their noses together.

Steve lifted his hand to do the same and hold Tony close. He inhaled deeply, focusing on the feel of him. He had seen Tony drop people like flies. Even for something simple like giving someone he loved a negative look. But for some reason, he decided that Steve was not like those people. He turned their heads until their lips were touching and pressed them together.

“Remember our first kiss?” He breathed, running his thumb along his lower lip. “We had been drinking and you asked if I was sure I wasn’t bisexual. I told you that I had never kissed a fella before. Then you touched me and I felt like you were lighting me up from the inside. All I could think about you. I freaked out and ran away like a coward. Do you remember what you told me in the apartment?” Tony shook his head. “You told me that being alive sucks but if you’re lucky, you find people that make being here worth the struggles. You were right. I’m the luckiest man alive because not only do I have Peter and Bucky but I have you. My family is worth everything that has led up to this moment.”

He could remember passing out in the bathtub. Had Tony not been there, Peter would have found him and that would have been a massive problem. He would share those things with Peter when he was older and could understand the reasons he had drank himself unconscious almost daily. He was thankful that when that time came, he would have Tony standing beside him.

“Food’s getting cold.” Tony murmured but he was staring at the pink lips before him.

Steve laid back against the bed, pulling Tony over him. “I’m sure the food can wait.” He started laughing when Tony attacked him, those sounds soon dissolving into sounds of pleasure. He was the luckiest man in the world.

An hour later, Tony was seated on his hips with a plate of pancakes. He was feeding both of them pancakes and the occasional piece of bacon. He was floating on cloud nine, basking in the overwhelming amount of happiness. Following each bite was a syrup-filled kiss. Once they were done, Tony placed the plate on the tray and leaned to place it on the ground beside the bed.

Steve reached out to run his finger along the scar beneath his right eye. “I never had the chance to ask you where this was from.” He said softly.

Whatever breath he was holding, Tony exhaled shakily. “When I was five years old, I went to show my father something I had built. I’m not sure what it was but I thought it was amazing. Anyways, I went down to the workshop. I was young and had no idea what drunk looked like. I had no idea what being drunk meant. So I assumed he was feeling sick or tired. He was drunk enough that everything I did was an unbearable annoyance. So he grabbed onto the bottle he had been drinking from and threw it at me. The glass cut into my face, causing this.” He fluttered a hand over the scar.

Steve grabbed onto his hands and pressed his lips against each finger. He understood that Howard Stark had been a horrible father but he had clue that he had been abusive in such a physical way. How he wished he could have given him a better life, changed how he had come to believe love was nothing more than a curse. He pulled him down, pressing their lips together. Tony became boneless in his arms, humming happily into the kiss. Even though he had been several years too late, he was relieved that he could give Tony even a little happiness.

He moved upright, holding the brunette on his lap. Arms wrapped around his neck. Precious memories played behind his closed eyes. Many nights spent showing each other everything they had missed, innocent touches that told more than they showed, a million kisses to make up for lost time. He moved his hands to cup his cheeks, feeling the delicious heat burning under his palms. Thighs wrapped tight around his waist. Every sensation was magnified. He could feel the light scratch from Tony’s goatee against his face. The scent of coconuts intoxicated him. The longer their lips moved together, the more Steve tried to force Tony inside him that way he would never have to be without him.

There was nothing frantic about how they kissed. In that moment, it was more about feeling each other than it was about chasing a mind blowing orgasm. He could feel each and every single wall breaking down. Walls Tony had built so many years ago. He placed a hand on his lower back and wrapped another around his shoulders. With one fluid movement, he turned around and lowered Tony gently onto the sheets below them. His hand moved from his back, grabbing Tony’s thigh and bringing it around his waist. Not once did they separate. Neither wanting to spend more than a second without the other. The sounds Tony made were sweeter than any song, sending a shiver down his spine. All he could think was how much he loved him.

_I love you. I love you. I love you._

_My sweet nightingale._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I could change my mind in the future, I don't know, but I want to end the story here. I HOPE YOU GUYS LIKED IT! I enjoyed writing this and I'm thankful for each and every person that read it. 
> 
> LOVE YOU GUYS! See you <3


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